Twifly II
by Gojira123
Summary: After the events in "Twifly," The Mane 6 are trying to deal with the horrors they faced dealing with Twilight Sparkle. Pinkie Pie makes a deal with the devil in a desperate attempt to make everything the way it used to be. She soon regrets her decision as the nightmare begins all over again.
1. Chapter 1

TWIFLY II

Big Mac waited patiently as the train began to slow to a strained halt as it pulled in to Canterlot's main station. No matter how many times he made the trip, he still marveled at the sheer size and grandeur of Equestria's capital city. Staring out the window, he could see the bustling streets filled with mostly unicorns, going about their daily business while wearing fancy clothes. The mid-morning sun gleaned gently through his window, as the grin he wore soon faded. He had been making these trips once a week for six months now and they were starting to drain him emotionally as well as physically.

As the train came to a halt, the large farm pony arose from his seat stretching a bit. After a moment, the stiffness left his joints and he made his way out of the railroad car and onto the station platform. It only took a moment for the Royal Guards to greet him with a royal chariot. He never spoke to them, simply nodding his thanks. Their faces never changed, but secretly he suspected they were relieved by the fact that he did not want to make small talk. He was there for a purpose, and idle chitchat was not it.

As the guards landed the chariot near the palace entrance, he stepped off, once again in awe of the size and beauty of Princess Celestia's castle. Shaking his head to focus on the matter at hand, he turned and traded nods with the Royal Guard pegasi before they took to the air. Before he could turn back to the door, he heard it creek open slowly revealing Princess Luna, flanked by two of her own Royal service ponies. She gave the stallion a warm smile, as she stepped aside to invite him in. Big Mac returned the smile, if only to be cordial. He didn't really feel like smiling, but how could he not reciprocate royalty? In the six months that have passed since the incident, the princess and the farm stallion had grown quite close, thanks to their weekly visits. At first, it was hard, since the worry regarding his sister seemed to hold him in a vice-grip. As time went on, however, he started to become more relaxed. Granted, it also helped that his sister was making progress.

"I trust the trip from Ponyville was uneventful, Big Mackintosh?" the Princess asked.

"It was just fine, Princess Luna," he answered, humoring her need for formalities.

They continued to make their way into the castle; Princess Luna led him down what had now become very familiar corridors to him.

"Oh, please, Big Mackintosh, how many times have I told you, you can just call me Luna?" she said sweetly.

"Probably the same amount of times Ah've said that you can just call me Big Mac, Ah reckon?"

The princess of the night stopped dead in her tracks, and stifled a giggle with her hoof. "Very well… Big Mac," she stated.

Her soft smile left her face after that last comment. It was time to get down to business, as they continued down the hallway.

"How is she today? Do ya think she can come home yet?" Big Mac said with a bit of dejection in his voice.

He knew it was going to take time to heal, but he also knew that it's tough to separate your head from your heart. He had so many emotions after he found out what happened. He was relieved that his sister wasn't harmed too badly. He was also angry with her for not telling him anything sooner, and he was worried about her recovery. From what her friends told him, and the reactions he saw, what they went through had been one of the most horrific experiences any pony could ever endure. He had so many thoughts and questions, but in the end, he knew this was the best place for her. He missed her terribly at the farm, but if anyone could help his little sister, he knew it would be the princesses.

"Healing takes time, Big Mac. Although they all may look fine on the outside, the emotional scars will take much longer to fade. They have all made great progress, especially your sister. She is a very strong mare. You should be proud," she said as they stopped in front of a closed door.

"Pardon me, Luna, but that doesn't answer my question," he retorted.

She looked into his eyes for a moment before shifting her gaze to the ground, as she used her magic to open the door. She called out to the mare sitting quietly on the bed looking out the window. "Applejack, good morning. Your brother is here," she said in the lightest tone she could muster.

"Big brother!" Applejack exclaimed as she leapt off the bed and raced over to her kin.

They embraced tightly as Big Mac replied, "How are ya, little sister?"

They broke the hug and went to go sit on the deck. Princess Luna began moving towards the door of the room to leave.

"I have some other duties to attend to, but please take all the time you like. If you need anything at all, one of the guards will be right outside the room," the alicorn stated.

"Thanks, Luna," Big Mac said as he looked back.

As the door shut behind them, they made their way out onto the deck, and took seats by the table just overlooking the palace garden. They just sat there for a moment, eyes averted from each other. This was the hard part. Talking to his sister about this had gotten easier over time, but it was always a bit awkward beginning such a conversation.

"So, how are ya feelin'?" Big Mac started.

"Well, Ah am doin' a might bit better than Ah was. The nightmares have pretty much gone away, but Ah don't think Ah'll ever be rid of them completely. The Docs say Ah'll be able to go back to Sweet Apple Acres pretty soon, and that Ah'm makin' a lot of progress. Ah'm eatin' better, although, Ah'd trade all of this fancy-shmancy cookin' for one o' Granny Smith's fresh baked apple pies. Don't get me wrong, Ah'm forever grateful for what the princesses have done for me and mah friends, it's just easy to get a bit homesick is all," the farm mare replied.

Big Mac eyed her curiously. He could tell that his little sister was holding something back. There was something in her inflections that told her she wasn't being her usual truthful self. After all, being the one time bearer of the element of honesty made her a terrible liar.

"AJ, Ah can tell that something else is botherin' ya. What is it?"

For the first time since they sat down, she turned to look at her brother. She saw him smile at her. He was doing his best to comfort her, and by now, she knew better than to keep everything inside as she had done before. With a sigh, she continued.

"Ah miss her, Big Mac," she said as she stared down at the table in front of her.

"Ah miss Twilight Sparkle. Ah know, it's strange right? Ah mean, she did some terrible things to me and the rest of mah friends, but Ah just can't help wanting her to walk through that door, and show me a new spell, or say somethin' all sciency. After everything that happened, Ah guess Ah just miss mah friend," she said.

The last sentence choked her up a bit, and soon she began to feel tears form in her eyes. Big Mac was at her sister's side in an instant, as she reached out to hug him.

"Ah know things can never go back to the way they were, but that doesn't make it feel any better, ya know?" The orange mare whispered.

"Ah know, AJ. Ah know," Big Mac replied.

Over the next few minutes, they just hugged each other, with Applejack expressing her emotions, just as the doctors taught her to do when she felt them building up inside of her. After that, Big Mac let his sister go, and bid her farewell, letting her get some rest. As he exited the room, he found Princess Luna waiting by the door.

"How is she?" the Princess of the Moon asked.

"She is better, but Ah think she still has a little ways to go. It's just so hard to see her like this. Ah'm her big brother, ya know? Ah just want to rush in and save her, but how can Ah do that when the problems are in her head? Engraved in her memory like that?" he answered.

"As I said before, she is a strong mare. Moreover, she is that much stronger for having the support of her big brother. Believe me; I have seen the change in her and you just being there for her is helping to get her through this. I just wish I could say the same thing for the others." Luna looked away as they made their way back down the hall.

"Speaking of which, how are everyone else doin' Luna?" Big Mac inquired.

"Believe it or not, Rarity actually had the toughest time letting her guard down. She had convinced herself that it was un-ladylike to release her emotions at all. After a while though, it became clear what the real source of her issues were. She was obviously traumatized from the incident, with nightmares, waking up in cold sweats, etc… However, it became clear to us that she had developed hatred, not of Twilight Sparkle herself, but of what she called Twilight's 'selfishness.' She blamed Twilight for only thinking of herself, and not caring about what her friends had to face. She has been learning to forgive, and is finally starting to move on," she said.

They turned and made their way down another hallway, as Princess Luna continued.

"Fluttershy's recovery has been both mental and physical. She was the most hurt, at least out of her friends. Although she has recovered from her physical injuries, she is still having much trouble dealing with the events that occurred. She is an easily frightened pony, and she went through one of the most painful and agonizing things a pony can go through. The doctors have been using her natural ability to help animals to get her mind focused on other things," the Moon Princess continued.

Big Mac sighed in relief after hearing how Fluttershy was doing. He was worried about all of them, of course, but next to his sister, he was worried about Fluttershy the most. He thought that she would take it the worst given her nature.

Princess Luna turned to go down another hallway, with Big Mac following her. She began to speak after watching Big Mac's reaction.

"Rainbow Dash made a breakthrough two months ago, as you know. She wanted to throw herself back into her training to become a Wonderbolt immediately. The doctors would not allow that, which became a source of contention for her. She was extremely resistant to talking about her feelings, and apparently would sneak out at night to get some training in. I ran into her, and when I asked her to talk to me is when everything came out. She blamed herself for not being fast enough. She said that it was her job to fly to my castle and get my sister, but she failed. She thought that Twilight dying was her fault, and that if she upped her training, she could somehow make up for the mistake. Now that we know how the incident affected her, though, we have been getting her to open up more, and her trauma is starting to heal," the alicorn said.

There was a nervous silence in the air as they stopped again in front of another door. Big Mac looked at Luna inquisitively. Why were they all the way over here? It wasn't their usual route. After thinking about it for a moment, he realized there was one pony they had not spoken about yet.

"Luna, please tell me. How is Pinkie Pie?" he asked worriedly.

She signed, as she looked towards the floor before she spoke. "Pinkie Pie is the worst of all of them. Her hair is straight now, which apparently is some sort of sign. She has not uttered a word since the incident. It seems as though she has cut herself off from the world. She has not cried since that night, and she does not even smile. All she does is sit in her room and draw. The pictures are so random that the doctors cannot make any sense of them. Sometimes she draws a forest, and other times she just draws a circle. If this goes on any longer, I am not sure if we will be able to break her out of this state. She barely eats or sleeps, and when anyone tries to speak with her, she just stares out the window, not even looking in the direction of whomever she is with. It is very painful and tragic to watch, and it is affecting the progress of the others," Luna said.

Big Mac closed his eyes. Pinkie Pie was the pony that lit up everyone's life with her joy and smiles. To think of her in this state was maddening.

"Big Mac, can you do something for me?" Luna asked tentatively.

"Anything Princess, you just name it," he answered seriously.

"Would…would you talk to her? She will not talk to any of her friends, much less the doctors, and we are running out of options. Please, can you just try?" she asked, her eyes beginning to mist over.

Big Mac just nodded, as Luna opened the door with her magic. Big Mac walked in to find Pinkie Pie lying on the bed of her quarters, staring out the window. She didn't even acknowledge his presence. Luna closed the door behind him as he made his way closer to the former party pony. For what seemed like an eternity, he just stared out the window with her.

"So, you mind tellin' me what it is we're lookin' at, Pinkie?" Big Mac said.

She continued to stare out the window, as she laid her head down, slightly tilting it to the side.

"Look, Ah know things have been horrible, and Ah don't know what these doctors have been tellin' ya, but ya gotta know it hurts us to see you like this. You loved life so much, and to see you give up like this is tearin' us up. You may not think it but yer stronger than you may think you are. After all, you were an element of harmony, Pinkie. Ya helped beat Nightmare Moon, the Changeling Queen, even that Discord fella with all them powers. Ah know yer in pain, but there is no shame in admitting it. So, what'dya say, Pinkie Pie? Got a hug in ya for yer old friend, Big Mac?" he said as he turned towards her.

What he saw almost made him jump. She was staring back at him, her eyes wide. The large earth pony didn't quite know what to make of it, but decided to throw caution to the wind.

_'If this is some sort of breakthrough, let's see it through.'_

He nuzzled her softly as he whispered, "Ah know yer still in there, Pinkie. We all do, and we are just waitin' for ya to come back to us. Please, Pinkie. Ah know its tearin' you up inside, but if you keep them demons locked away, they'll destroy ya, darlin'. Ah know you might not be ready to talk yet, but just know that Ah'm here for ya. We all are. So take yer time, and whenever yer ready, we'll be waitin'."

He gave her a tender kiss on the cheek, and whispered again, "Take care, sweetie."

He turned around and made his way towards the door. It made a loud noise as it closed behind him.

Pinkie Pie sat up. How could she have been so stupid? It was right there. The answer was right in front of her face the whole time, and she didn't even realize it. She would have to wait until nightfall. By then, everyone else would be asleep and Luna would be out attending to her duties. Then she would have her chance.

As night fell over Equestria, the lights in the castle went out one by one, Pinkie Pie stayed on her balcony waiting patiently. She knew she couldn't just accomplish her mission right away. It required her to be cautious, an attribute she learned admittedly from the doctors. She hated what they were doing to her. Why keep talking about the worst thing that happened in your life? Just thinking about it made her unable to function normally. The images of one of her best friends mutating into a monster, beating her, trying to kill her; it was too much. Her brain just shut off whenever she thought about it. Couldn't they understand that? She was sad that she was making her friends sad, but how could they expect her to smile? To ever smile again? She knew that there was only one way to be normal again. She needed her best friend back. Without her, the days seemed to revert to when she was working on the rock farm as a filly. Everything was dark, cold and distant, and the reality was, it would never get better no matter how much time went on. It was really nice to see Big Mac today though. She was always astonished at how gentle he was despite his size and enormous strength. She would have to thank him if this worked. After all, it was his idea in the first place.

After a few more hours, it was the middle of the night, and it was time for Pinkie Pie to make her move. She brought the sheets she had tied together out onto the balcony and attached them to railing, using them as a rope. She hugged the makeshift rope as she went over the side. Luckily, the sheets held and she quickly found herself a few feet from the ground. The pink earth pony leapt and stabilized herself after making contact with the ground. As she walked through the gardens, she was amazed at the beauty of the statutes located within it. The small lamps had lit them in conjunction with Luna's natural moonlight giving them two soft hues creating a surreal atmosphere. Finally, she came to the statue she was looking for.

_'I… I'm not sure how to do this. I'm not sure if I should do this. I mean, I know everyone says he's evil, and he's pretty bad, that's for sure, but I just…'_Pinkie Pie let her thoughts trail on as her eyes began to water.

Little did she know, she was doing exactly what was necessary to release her target. The conflict within her had reached a boiling point, and the stone figure in front of her started to crack. After a few moments, there was a bright flash of light, and standing before her was the Draconequus himself. Discord had returned to Equestria.

"Oh, sweet, sweet freedom, I'm back at last! I can't wait to start making things the way they should! Or rather the way they shouldn't!" he stated excitedly as he began to laugh manically.

"But, before I start my reign of chaos, who do I have to thank for setting me free from this awful prison? Anyone, anyone?" he asked, looking left and right.

There was a short period of silence before he looked down. What he found intrigued him. The only pony in the vicinity was Pinkie Pie.

"Well, isn't that interesting! I never thought I would be freed by an Element of Harmony! Granted, if one of you were to free me, it would be the Element of Laughter after all. Well, Pinkie Pie, I am in your debt! Granted, that doesn't really mean anything, since I rarely repay my debts…" Discord rambled.

Pinkie Pie looked up at him. He was her hope, but also her undoing. Everything she felt over the last six months began to spill over, as tears started to drip from her eyes.

"What's this? The element of laughter is crying? And apparently, has also chosen a new hair style," the Lord of Chaos went on.

He stopped for a moment as he looked into her eyes. Something wasn't right. He remembered how Pinkie Pie was, and the mare in front of him didn't remotely look like her. There was sadness, a despair that he had never seen in a pony before. It confused him. After all, he hadn't been away that long.

"Ummm…" he started tentatively.

She couldn't take it anymore. She had held everything in for six months, and she had to let go. She tackled the Draconequus, burying herself in his chest, and did the thing that everyone around her had wanted. She cried. She wailed and screamed, matting his coat with fresh tears. Discord had been around for thousands of years, and for what seemed like an eternity, he felt something very unfamiliar: Confusion. He just stared at the little pony cradling herself into his chest, unsure of what to do. In between her body wracking sobs, she finally spoke.

"Help me…please…please, help me…"

Hey, everyone! Well, I decided to do a sequel to "Twifly" and I hope you all enjoy it! I had this idea before I finished the first one, so I decided to give it another shot. Please rate and review!


	2. Chapter 2

Staring up at the night sky, Discord had many questions permeate his mind, as he felt the soft breathing of the pink earth pony now asleep on his chest. What had happened while he was gone? He didn't feel that he was gone for that long. An invasion, maybe? No, he had looked around and everything seemed normal. There was something about the way Pinkie Pie looked at him. Pain, sadness and despair seemed to pour through her eyes. Then there was what she managed to say through her tears. The phrase "help me" uttered over and over again until, probably from exhaustion, she drifted off to sleep right on top of him. TheDraconequus was intrigued to say the least. With the snap of his fingers, he was instantly standing beside Pinkie Pie's sleeping form, which now rested on a pillow.

_'Sleep tight, my dear. I am going to get to the bottom of this, and then we are going to have a little talk,'_ he thought to himself as he took to the night sky.

_'Perhaps tracking down the remaining elements will give me a better understanding of why I was released,'_he contemplated, as he entered the castle.

It was easy to make himself invisible to the night guards who roamed the castle grounds. After all, he was the lord of chaos. He found himself quickly in front of a door while sensing a very familiar spirit behind it.

_'Why, hello Fluttershy!'_ the Draconequus mused as he phased through the door.

Oddly, he expected to see the timid Pegasus asleep in the posh bed before him, but not only was she absent, the bed had looked perfectly made. Where was she? He had definitely felt her presence. Was he slipping? As he pondered, he noticed a crack of light coming from what could only be the bathroom. His invisible spirit crept through the door, and, as he rematerialized, he again took in his surroundings. Fluttershy was in the bathtub, curled up in a ball holding her head. She was sniffling, with whimpers exiting her throat at random intervals. She was having a nightmare.

_'Let us see what this is all about, shall we?'_ Discord thought as he put a finger up to Fluttershy's forehead.

He closed his eyes to concentrate, and once, he had synchronized with her mind, he opened them to reveal nothing but darkness. Just as quickly as he had opened his eyes, however, he found himself in the center of Ponyville. It seemed to be a beautiful day. The sun was shining, the sky was blue. The only strange part was there were no ponies around.

_'What kind of nightmare starts out with a beautiful day? Mine, maybe, but I'm not exactly your average celestial being,'_ Discord thought to himself.

"Fluttershy! Come on! We have to hurry!" a voice suddenly rang out behind him.

Turning around, he saw Twilight Sparkle run right past him. The lord of chaos was good enough with his magic to hid his presence, and was only here as an observer, so he wasn't surprised that he went unnoticed when Fluttershy ran past him as well, right behind Twilight.

"Wh-Where are we going?" Fluttershy cried, taking labored breaths as she tried desperately to keep up with the unicorn.

They seemed to be sprinting towards the library. The Draconequus remembered it from before. It was where he'd hidden the elements of harmony after his first escape. He followed right behind them as they entered the tree house. He barely caught sight of them entering a door as he phased through the outer walls. He kept pace with them, and soon found himself in what seemed to be a basement. The lord of chaos stopped short and took in the sights around him. There were wires and cables everywhere and there were these odd, diamond-shaped machines on the floor at the bottom of the staircase. There were three of them, and they each had doors on them.

_'What… are these?'_ he asked himself, fascinated with the technology before him.

Twilight stopped dead in her tracks, as Fluttershy came to an abrupt halt behind her. There was a sense of foreboding in the air, as Discord looked on. He had a bad feeling about this. Something was off about this dream.

"You know why we are here, Fluttershy. You have to get in the pod," Twilight uttered as she turned around.

Fluttershy screamed at the sight of her former friend. The bottom half of her jaw was missing. The now jawless Twilight crept closer to the Pegasus, as the pink haired mare tried to scurry away. The library around them disappeared, and they found themselves surrounded by darkness. The yellow mare soon found herself up against an invisible wall as she screamed and cried. Twilight's features melted away, as if her flesh was nothing more than candle wax, revealing a monster with mandibles and extra legs sticking out of its sides. The monster used its legs to grab the terrified pegasus and pin her up against the hidden wall.

"Pretty face…" it uttered as it opened its mouth slowly.

"NO, NO, PLEASE, PLEASE, NO, STOP, PLEASE…" Fluttershy cried hysterically.

Suddenly, a white milk-like substance shot out of the creature's mouth spilling over her face. She screamed and tossed her head back and forth, as her skin started to melt. Blisters formed almost on contact, as her fur began to burn away. Steam had started bubbling up with her epidural layer disappearing, spilling to the ground, like white hot metal.

Discord eyes went wide at the display. He had never seen such a violent nightmare before. He quickly exited the pony's mind before she woke up, and with a flash, he was standing before her in his invisible state. She was thrashing about wailing at the top of her lungs. He just stood there before her watching her suffer. Irritation, misery, and even pain were all things he was quite familiar with, but this was torture. Torture on a level he had never known possible. This mare was clearly a broken shell of her former self. He was both frightened and intrigued by the notion. His pondering soon ended as he heard the clattering of hooves against the marble floor. He became intangible again and exited the room quickly.

Nurse Redheart had heard what had happened in Ponyville, and volunteered to help with the recovery of her friends. It had been a long, hard road, and each of them was making progress. However, there had been some setbacks as of late, and after hearing the screams coming from Fluttershy's room, she had a feeling that this was going to be the worst of any of them.

As she entered the room, a stench hit her right in the face, almost knocking her back. She pushed through it, and was soon by Fluttershy's side.

"Fluttershy! Fluttershy! Wake up! It's just a nightmare! Fluttershy!" she exclaimed, reaching over the tub to shake the pegasus awake.

After a few minutes, the thrashing and bawling had died down and the animal loving mare's eyes shot open. She looked up, relieved to see the smiling face of Nurse Redheart. Her senses returning, she breathed deeply in an effort to calm down.

"It's ok, Fluttershy. You were just having a nightmare. You're safe now," the nurse pony whispered in the most calming voice she could muster.

"It shouldn't be called a nightmare," Fluttershy whispered back.

"What do you mean, sweetie?" the earth pony asked, stroking the yellow mare's mane softly.

"A NIGHTMARE IS FAKE! IT'S NOT REAL! YOU WAKE UP, AND ITS OVER! THIS REALLY HAPPENED AND I CAN'T…I CAN'T…" she screamed back.

Suddenly, her eyes went wide. A putrid scent invaded her nostrils as she sniffed the air, and a look of horror quickly crossed her face. Fluttershy looked down slowly and whimpered at the sight of her coat matted with a golden, foul liquid. Feelings of mortification and humiliation replaced the fear she had mere seconds ago.

"I… I can't get it out of my head," she whispered softly.

Nurse Redheart's gaze softened, as she silently continued to try to comfort her friend, gently petting her. She was taken aback when Fluttershy grabbed her with her front hooves, embracing her in a tight hug. What she said made the nurse's heart break.

"Make it go away. Please, just make it go away," the yellow pegasus whispered, feeling the tears well up in her eyes again.

Nurse Redheart was at a loss- there was no easy fix for this. She couldn't just give her some medicine, or a bandage. Therefore, she did the only thing she could do for her friend. She returned the hug, and let Fluttershy quietly sob into her shoulder.

Discord flew down the dimly lit corridor struggling to process what he had just seen. Despite invading the pony's mind, he now had more questions than answers. He knew from his experience with the elements of harmony that Fluttershy had issues with being timid, but he had no idea it was that bad. It didn't seem right, and the agent of chaos himself was asserting that notion. Celestia, as much as he was appalled to admit it, kept her land in order. Nothing like this was something he saw even under his reign and Celestia did not seem to be the type to allow such violence. He needed more information. He saw another room where he sensed another of the elements. He floated in undetected, and quickly saw the unicorn known as Rarity.

Just like with Fluttershy, Rarity was not in bed, but rather by the mantle of her fireplace, which was on the opposite side of her room. There was no fire going, but Discord could make out a picture frame that the unicorn was staring at, as the moon illuminated the bedchamber. Curious, he circled around behind her to get a good look upon what she was gazing. It was indeed a picture frame, and it contained a picture of Twilight Sparkle.

_'Her again? But why her, of all ponies? Maybe because she was their leader?'_ the Draconequus thought to himself.

His attention soon moved back to Rarity, as she stared at the photo. Her gaze seemed to be cold. It was a look that he recognized: Hatred. She began to speak, her voice dripping with venom.

"I hate you. I hate you for what you did to us. Can you see us, Twilight? We will carry these scars for the rest of our lives, and it's all because of you. You tried to kill your best friends, and now we are here in this converted loony bin. I wish you were here. I wish I could tell you exactly what I thought of you, you selfish foal!" She said, getting louder with each breath.

'_Tried to kill them?'_ Discord thought, as his eyes widened.

Suddenly, the unicorn let out a guttural scream, as she unleashed her magic, and flung the picture frame across the room. It shattered as it crashed into the far wall. Almost immediately, one of the guards burst through the door.

"Miss Rarity! Are you alrig…" was all he was able to get out as she turned to him and glared.

She slammed the door right in the guard's face, and turned abruptly back to the now broken photo frame lying on the ground. She started to cry, tears streaming down her face.

"Don't you know how much I hate you for leaving? You were my best friend, and now you're gone, and you're never coming back!" she stammered out between light sobbing.

The lord of chaos stood there, his jaw agape at the display of emotion, and the admission of Twilight trying to murder her friends.

'_Murder?! Why, that was unheard of even in MY time! What has happened to this place?! Celestia, what have you done?!'_ he thought, gritting his teeth.

Done with this display, he took to the air once again. The elements were clearly broken. Still he wanted more information before confronting Pinkie Pie. He made his way to another door, and behind it was the sleeping form of an earth pony with blond hair, tucked neatly under her covers in bed.

'_Ah, honest Applejack, I presume. Let us see what's going on inside that pretty little head of yours, shall we?'_ he mused, as he put a finger to her forehead.

Again, he closed his eyes, and when he opened them, he found himself in a house. It seemed a bit bigger than the ones he saw in Ponyville, but then it struck him that Applejack was an earth pony farmer, and this was her home. Farmhouses are usually a bit bigger than the domiciles he would normally see in town. Suddenly, he heard screaming, and as he looked around, he noticed a staircase on the other side of the room. The clattering of hooves on the wood floor broke his attention away from the steps, as Applejack ran right past him, and up the stairs at break neck speed. The chaos bringer quickly followed, his spirit flowing like the wind. He found himself on the second floor of the home, and just caught sight of the farm mare's tail as it entered the far room at the other end of the hall.

'_You're not getting away that easily,'_ Discord smiled to himself, making his way towards the room.

As he phased through the wall, he saw a bed, window and dresser. It must have been one of the bedrooms. However, what stuck out was a large machine in the middle of the room. It was the same diamond shaped pod that he had seen in Fluttershy's dream, but this time, the inside was glowing white, and smoke misted lightly across the floor. He turned to see Applejack look on in horror, as she started screaming for what Discord could only guess was her family.

"APPLEBLOOM! BIG MAC! GRANNY SMITH!" she exclaimed.

She went silent as the entrance to the pod hissed. The locking mechanism released, and the glass door slid to the side. Applejack started to whimper as the white vapor now spread across the floor of the bedroom. She approached the object tentatively. Once she was right in front of the entrance, she stopped and gulped with a look of sheer terror on her face. Discord was still, not daring to move an ethereal muscle as he watched the scene unfold before him. Suddenly, a roar echoed from the chamber, as what could only be described as a monster leaped out of the cage pinning the farm pony to the ground. The skinless equine that emerged had seven legs, sticking out at random spots, with two faces on its side also wailing. Applejack screamed in terror as the beast spoke.

"You were supposed to protect us, AJ. Now look at us! Little Applebloom doesn't even have her cutie mark! How could you let this happen?!" the monster said.

"N-No! This ain't right! Yer… yer all ok! None o' this actually happened!" Applejack stammered out while squirming under the grip of the horrid amalgamation that held her in place.

"It's not like you could have stopped me, right AJ?" a voice rang out from the entrance of the room.

Discord turned to view the new arrival. It was Twilight Sparkle. She had a twisted grin on her face, as she slowly stalked towards the helpless Applejack.

"I mean, you were so weak. All you did was cry into your brother's hooves. You didn't even do anything. I certainly expected more, but whatever. It's time to put you out of your misery." the purple unicorn said.

With each step she took, her features changed, and she became the same monster that Discord had seen in Fluttershy's dream. She stood over the trapped earth pony and opened her mouth slowly. The amalgamation that pinned Applejack down began to let out an eerie laugh as Twilight vomited a milky substance all over a screaming Applejack. Discord looked on as the same melting effect that occurred in Fluttershy's dream happened again. Applejack wailed and cried, as her skin melted from her skull, with what he assumed was a distorted version of her family laughing and aiding Twilight in her torture. Discord has seen enough. He exited the dream and found himself standing next to the farm mare's bed. Almost as soon as he left her mind, she shot up from her sleep and let out a short scream. She was drenched in sweat, taking in gulps of air as she tried to calm down. After a few moments, she curled into ball and cried quietly to herself as Discord looked on.

Suddenly, the lord of chaos noticed a streak of rainbow colors zip passed the window.

'_Ah. That must be Rainbow Dash. What is she doing out there, I wonder?'_The Draconequus mused as he took to the air after the rainbow-maned Pegasus.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Rainbow Dash shouted, as she soared higher and higher into the night skies of Equestria. Discord's eyes immediately went wide. How could she have spotted him? She wasn't even a unicorn!

"HALT! THE PRINCESS HAS GIVEN US STRICT ORDERS, MS. DASH!" he heard from behind him. The lord of chaos turned to see a few of Luna's guard ponies on the tail of the element of loyalty.

Rainbow Dash ignored them, as she climbed higher and higher into the sky. She didn't think she had anything to worry about. After all, she was the best young flier in Equestria. There was no way a bunch of lackeys, who were also weighed down by armor were going to catch the likes of her. Suddenly, however she found herself encased in a magic bubble. Her expression changed to one of surprise as she immediately began slowing down, and not of her own volition. Who had enough magic to stop her in mid-flight like that? Since it was the middle of the night, she was easily able to answer her own question.

"Let me go, Princess Luna! I was just going out for quick flight to clear my head!" the cyan mare growled.

The alicorn of the night sailed onto a cloud, as she brought Rainbow Dash closer. Her gaze softened as she looked upon the element of loyalty.

'_Her pain seems obvious to everypony but her,'_Luna thought to herself glumly.

Discord settled on the same cloud, still invisible. This was getting more interesting by the minute, and he was already quite intrigued by tonight's events. Luna being involved was sure to up the ante. He listened closely as the moon princess spoke.

"Rainbow Dash, I understand this whole ordeal has been terrible, but running to the clouds every time you feel hurt is not going to solve your problems," she said in the most comforting voice she could muster.

Rainbow Dash glared at her. Dash was many things, but she was no coward. She seethed at the insinuation that she was running away.

"Ms. Dash!" a commanding voice rang out.

The three of them turned to see the night guards touch down on the other side of the cloud. They immediately stiffened as they saw Princess Luna.

"No need to worry. I have everything under control here. Go back to your normal duties, please," the princess said in a calm tone.

They both gave a quick bow and flew back towards the castle. With that taken care of, Luna turned back towards Rainbow Dash, as she dropped the force field. The colorful pegasus didn't flinch at all as she slowly walked right up to the moon princess. Luna succeeded in hiding the smile that would normally have been on her face. Rainbow Dash truly was fearless. She walked right up to the alicorn, and looked her right in the eye. There weren't many Royal Guard officers who could do that, yet here was this young pegasus, bursting with confidence before her. Luna quickly frowned, however. She knew it was false bravado, and now she had to make the Cloudsdale resident see it for herself.

"Rainbow Dash, please-" she started, but was quickly interrupted.

"HOW DARE YOU CALL ME A COWARD?! I DON'T CARE WHO YOU ARE, NO CALLS ME THAT!" she shouted in the princess's face.

Normally, the Royal Canterlot voice would have come out immediately to silence such disrespect. However, Luna had been learning a lot about patience since her return. She knew that here she needed to have some if she was going to get through to the rainbow-maned pony.

"What are you so afraid of?" she asked plainly.

"I JUST TOLD YOU, I'M NOT AFRAID OF ANYTHING!" Rainbow Dash bellowed back, clearly more exasperated than she was before.

"What are you afraid of?" Luna asked again, still keeping her tone under control.

"DO YOU HAVE A HEARING PROBLEM?" Rainbow Dash retorted.

Luna stared right into the Pegasus' eyes. She leaned in, and still keeping her tone, asked one more time.

"What…. Are you afraid of?" She said.

Rainbow Dash's façade quickly shattered. She had already been holding back tears. Now, they were free flowing. Every time the moon princess pushed, it was getting harder and harder to hold it all in. Finally, she answered her.

"BEING HELPLESS!" she screamed as she turned away from the alicorn.

There was a silence in the air after the admission. Only a soft breeze briefly crossed the two ponies, as Luna stayed quiet, letting Rainbow Dash get her emotions out on her own. It was so hard to get her to open up, now that she was finally starting to be honest with herself, Luna tried to encourage her passively.

"I couldn't do anything! I couldn't save Twilight, hay, she beat me up twice, and I couldn't stop her! Everypony was counting on me, and I let them all down! I'm… I'm not good enough! Not to be the element of loyalty, not even to be a friend!" she said as she sniffled softly.

It was hard to see such a strong pony in such a vulnerable state, but Luna knew it was for the best. The more she talked about what was inside her, the faster she could deal with it and put it behind her. She approached Rainbow Dash and put a hoof on her shoulder, as the pegasus continued.

"Th…there was a time in the basement. Right before I escaped. A…Applejack tried to hold her off, and I couldn't see anything, but I was stuck on a cable. I could hear Applejack losing! She was fighting for her life, and I was stuck! I had to run away!" she cried, as she turned towards Luna, embracing her in a hug.

"I thought Twilight was going to kill me! My best friend! I thought my best friend was going to kill me, and I couldn't do anything. I was so scared!" she sobbed into the alicorn's shoulder.

Luna just held the young flyer, and let her sob softly, as Discord looked on. He could not believe what he was seeing. Every one of them had been through some traumatic event that revolved around Twilight Sparkle and Twilight herself was apparently dead. He needed to see Celestia. Surely, she hadn't succumbed to such heartbreak and madness as the others. Had she? Even though they were enemies, he knew just how strong Celestia was, and he could not see her lowering herself in such a way. He left the two ponies in their embrace, and descended back towards the castle to Princess Celestia's quarters. He slowed as he approached her window; the only light emanating from the room was the soft hue of the lit fireplace in the corner of the room. Discord crept inside, being as guarded as possible, not wanting to alert the Sun Princess to his presence. The chaos-bringer settled in the corner, watching her intently. She just stared into the fire. The look on her face was that of complete dejection. Even with only the flicker of the fire, Discord could tell that her mane had lost some of its natural color. It seemed to be greyer, as it whisked to her side. It seemed heavier, similar to the look on her face. For what felt like an eternity, Discord just watched, as the alicorn of the sun did not move a muscle. He then noticed that she had surrounded herself with scrolls, which lay about on the floor in a semi-circle. Discord heard a rustling as he turned his gaze towards the terrace. The doors opened revealing Princess Luna.

"Sister? What are you doing here in the dark?" she asked quietly as she walked in slowly.

Celestia didn't move, and just continued to stare at the fire. Luna had made it to her sister's side, and lay down next to her.

"Celestia. It's me. Please, just talk to me." Luna whispered, staring at her sister with concern.

"It doesn't matter, Luna. There is nothing I can say. Nothing anypony can say. I've been reading these friendship reports, trying to see what went wrong. Maybe I missed something. But, I don't think I did," Celestia said.

"Twilight was a very intelligent mare, Sister. She made her own choices, her own decisions. You, Rainbow Dash… you all seem to blame yourself for what happened, but Twilight made a mistake. She knew the risks and accepted them. I know it doesn't make anypony feel any better, but it's the truth," Luna answered.

"She was my student, Luna. I trained her. I was practically her second mother. This is just as much my fault as it is hers. I keep thinking, 'What if I had just let Spike stay?' 'Why didn't the rest of them come to me sooner?' But what's done is done. The past is the past, and nothing can change it." Celestia whispered solemnly.

Using her magic, she lifted one of the scrolls in front of her. She paused for a moment before thrusting it into the fire. Luna gasped at the act.

"Tia! What are you doing?! Those are the last memories you have of her!"

"I'm tired, Luna! I'm tired of constantly being reminded of my mistakes! Every time I looked up at the moon for a thousand years, I had the same questions in my head! 'Why didn't I see this coming?' 'Couldn't I have done anything?' Now, when I take on a personal student she does the unthinkable! I've had enough!" she seethed as she threw another scroll into the fire.

"TIA, THAT'S ENOUGH!" Luna shouted as she activated her magic putting the remaining scrolls into a magic bubble away from her sister's obvious rage.

"Give them BACK, Luna!" Celestia hissed, as she got up to face her sister.

"No! Not until you are thinking clearly! You are going to throw away something you should cherish just because you're angry!" Luna retorted forcefully.

"LUNA, I SAID DROP THOSE IMMEDIATELY!" Celestia bellowed as she dropped into a low stance, seemingly ready to attack.

"OR ELSE WHAT?! YOU'LL HURT ME?! AGAIN?! AFTER ALL, IT'S WHAT YOU'RE GOOD AT, ISN'T IT BIG SISTER?!" Luna screamed back.

Celestia's eyes narrowed, as she turned around. She huffed, walking to the other side of the room.

"Get out," she whispered.

Luna glared back at her, before turning around and exiting the room via the balcony, taking to the night sky, the scrolls with her.

Discord just stood there, his ethereal mouth agape after watching the scene unfold in front of him. He had pieced much of the story together, but now he needed direct information. He flew out the window and towards the sleeping mare he left on a pillow in the garden of statues.

As he approached her, the lord of chaos could see that she hadn't moved from the place that he left her. She must have been exhausted. Discord, however, was in no mood to wait for her to wake up on her own. After what he had seen and heard, it was time for a talk with the pink party pony. He snapped his fingers as the pillow disappeared in a flash.

"Wakey, wakey, dear Pinkie Pie," he said.

The earth pony yelped as she fell unceremoniously to the ground. She groggily began to look around as she started to mutter.

"Huh? Wha?" she slurred.

"PINKIE PIE!" He shouted in a voice that rival Princess Luna.

She jumped to her hooves, quickly shaking of the cobwebs, as she faced Discord. It took her a moment to realize where she was. She had been so tired, this was the first restful sleep she had since coming to the castle for treatment. When she finally saw Discord standing in front of her, her eyes went wide with fear. She had done it? It seemed like a blur to her, but the memories quickly came back to her and a look of embarrassment crossed her face as she looked away.

"Oh. Hi, um, Discord," she stated in a mousy tone.

"Pinkie, why did you release me? I have been around to see the other elements and even good ole' Celestia, and saying they weren't themselves would be putting it mildly. Now, explain yourself!" he stated his volume growing as he spoke.

Pinkie Pie's head drooped. She had to explain it. She had been trying to avoid reliving the nightmare ever since she got here. How ironic was it that her act of defiance would end that streak.

"I'll... I'll try. It's just…hard…" she said as she started to tear up.

As angry as Discord was, he knew he wouldn't get anywhere by rushing this. He had been patient watching the other ponies, he supposed he could wait a bit longer. Summoning up the most compassionate voice he could, he sat in front of Pinkie Pie and spoke again.

"What happened, Pinkie?" he whispered.

"A little over six months ago, right after Twilight's brother's wedding, she decided to stay in Canterlot to do some research in the Star Swirl the Bearded wing," she started.

She stood up as she continued.

"She came back with some book that had plans in it. The…the plans were to make these things called…Telepods. It… it would let a pony, or whatever was in one pod to teleport to another pod, even if that other pod was on the other side of Equestria. She…she said that it would revolutionize travel. But… it wasn't like magic. It…took you apart by your atoms, or something, and then…put you back together."

Discord listened intently as the pink earth pony continued. She was going a bit slow for his tastes, but he could see she was struggling. He sighed.

'_I must be developing a heart after all these years. How boring,'_ he thought to himself, as Pinkie Pie continued.

"Wh…when she tried it on one of our pets, something horrible happened. I wasn't there, but I…I heard it… turned it inside out," she stammered out.

Discord's eyes went wide. At first she thought she was using a euphemism, but based on her story, he knew that she was being literal.

"Twilight was so broken up about it, that she did whatever she could to fix the machine, and… she did. It worked, but nopony would try it out, so…"

"She tried it on herself," Discord finished.

Pinkie Pie nodded as tears started to well up in her eyes. She used her hoof to wipe them away. She needed to keep it together. She needed to get through this. She continued.

"We didn't know that at first. She started acting really funny. She was… aggressive. But then she started to change on the…outside," the pink mare said between sniffles.

"Wh…when she went into the pod to transport herself… she didn't notice that a fly was in there with her. The computer…it…it fused them together. She started to become a monster! She threatened us… and… and beat us up," Pinkie Pie said as she started to shiver.

"She… she said that in order to cure herself, she needed to fuse with all of us. She…experimented… on our pets! It was horrible! She… she could spit acid, and used it to melt things and…"

"Enough! Why did you bring me back?! What do I have to do with all of this?!" Discord interrupted forcefully.

Pinkie cringed at the chaos-bringer's tone. This was going to be the hard part. She hoped with all her might that this would work. She was so desperate, she didn't know what she would do if this didn't work out. She summoned up all of her remaining courage as she spoke.

"W…well, I started thinking about you. How you could make cotton candy clouds, and chocolate rain. You…you could do anything! So, I thought that maybe you could… bring her back to us," Pinkie Pie said as she made a circle on the ground with her hoof.

There was silence. Discord didn't move. He simply sat there and processed everything that Pinkie Pie had said. After a few minutes, she looked up at him, and saw him smiling at her. What started as a small chuckle escaping his throat became a guttural, hearty laugh. The party mare was confused, but hopeful. After all, laughter usually meant something good, right?

"Pinkie Pie, you are hilarious! Did you really think that I would ever think about helping you?" he stammered between laughs.

"But…but…" Pinkie Pie quickly stammered, trying desperately to search for the words to convince him otherwise.

"You imprisoned me, locked me away, and now you expect me to just help you? And they say I'M crazy! Oh, this is too rich! You did all of this for nothing!" he said as he continued his howling.

"Wait…wait! Please you're the only one who can! I'll… I'll do anything you want! Just please help me!" she said nervously.

"Well, this has been quite fun, Pinkie Pie, but I must take my leave of you! I have some excellent chaos to create! Thanks again for freeing me, though!" he stated, as he got up and started walking away.

"WAIT! PLEASE DON'T GO! YOU HAVE TO HELP ME! PLEASE!" The earth pony started screaming at the Draconequus as he continued strolling away from her.

"And why is it that I have to help you, my dear?" he asked nonchalantly over his shoulder.

Pinkie Pie's eyes darted around nervously as she desperately tried to think of an answer.

"Be…because… BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T MAKE ANY SENSE!" she finally yelled.

Discord stopped dead in his tracks. He turned slowly, facing the shivering pink mare as he spoke.

"What did you say?" he asked seriously.

"W…well, you always say that you don't have fun making sense, right? Well, you've a villain. You've ALWAYS been the villain; so…so, wouldn't it NOT make sense for you to help?" she reasoned.

Discord was dumbfounded. She was right. It would NOT make any sense to help her. To help anyone, really. He was at a loss trying to find a suitable argument to counter Pinkie's proposition. As he continued to speculate on what impact Twilight coming back would have on her and her friends, it started to pique his curiosity. Perhaps he had been too hasty.

"_This could be more fun than I thought. I'd have to be patient, of course, but what fruit this could reap! By losing, I could very well win! And on such great terms!'_

He started walking back towards her. Pinkie Pie's confusion was written all over her face. She began to tear up again. She decided to make one last attempt. If this Draconequus had any measure of a heart, she would do her best to appeal to it.

"Please… I just want my friend back," Pinkie Pie whispered, tears streaming down her face. Her lower lip quivered as she looked down at the ground in front of her. She shut her eyes tightly, and was about to start openly sobbing again, until she felt a claw gently nudge her chin skyward. Her eyes went wide as Discord gave her a warm smile.

"Very well, Pinkie. I'll help you."

Well, here is chapter 2! I hope you all enjoyed it. I'm going to be busy for the next few weeks, so I'm not sure when I'll be able to post more, but I will do my best. I know some of you had wondered about Spike. Don't worry, he will be in this story, but I'm taking my time with this. He will be in it though.


	3. Chapter 3

Pinkie Pie stared blankly at the Draconequus in front of her. She heard the words he said, but just hearing them made her mind suddenly stop. She seemed to be in a daze, processing what had just happened. She went from begging one of the most evil beings in all of Equestria for help, to said being laughing at her, to now said being giving her a warm smile and saying that he would be of assistance. If she were thinking straight, she would have had an exorbitant amount of questions, but she needed to put all of that aside. She broke it down in the simplest way she could; she asked him for help, and he agreed to help her- simple enough. Tears immediately escaped her eyes as she hugged Discord tightly around the neck, sniffling as she spoke.

"Thank you. Thank you so much," she whispered.

With a flash of light Discord was behind Pinkie Pie and the pink party pony stumbled at his sudden disappearance. As she regained her footing, she turned to face him again with a look of confusion.

'_Oh no! Did he change his mind?! D… Did I do something wrong?!'_ she thought to herself.

"Now, now, my dear, we will be having none of that, if you want MY help, that I can assure you! Now, we have some items to discuss first." He said sternly.

"O…ok?" Pinkie Pie said with a hint of worry still in her tone.

"Pinkie, I was able to peer into the minds of your friends during my little excursion. Even though they didn't come out and say it, I believe that I can infer that Twilight is in fact dead. Am I correct in that assumption?" the Lord of Chaos inquired.

Pinkie whimpered at the question, but nodded, not making eye contact with the Draconequus.

"Hmmm… this is what I was afraid of." he said in a surprisingly solemn tone.

"Y…you mean you can't do it?" Pinkie asked, with more curiosity than fear covering her voice.

"Oh, I didn't say that. Of course, I can. However, it's going to be rather difficult. What you're asking me to do Pinkie is go against one of the fundamentals of nature. Creatures that live…die eventually. Now, I've always been a fan of going against the grain, as you know, but this is going to be much harder than making some chocolate milk rain." he stated. Pinkie Pie sat quietly as he continued. "The first thing we are going to need is a conduit of sorts. For the best results, I would need something that may be hard for you to get, especially considering your current state."

"What is it you need? I'll get you anything you want! Do you need something that was Twilight's? I guess that would make sense. Maybe her favorite book? Something like that?" the pink earth pony shouted jumping to her hooves.

"No, no, Pinkie Pie. Something much more personal. Something…well…much more 'her'… if you get my drift.

"Her mane brush?" Pinkie Pie questioned.

"Not quite, but getting warmer."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

Discord sighed. She didn't seem to be getting it. He sat down in front of her, trying to make her understand what he was saying.

"Pinkie, the best way to bring your friend back would be if I had an actual "piece" of Twilight. Not a trinket or an heirloom. I'm talking about flesh and bone. If you don't have access to something like that, then I'm sorry, I can't help you," he stated in the gloomiest voice he could muster.

Pinkie Pie looked at the ground, shifting uncomfortably as she thought. Her mind raced. She bit her lip as she looked back up at discord.

"There… there is something. It… it'll be hard to get to, but… well…" Pinkie Pie stammered.

Discord looked at her inquisitively, urging her to go on.

"That night…after…what happened…the Royal Guard escorted some scientists to collect the things we found in the library. I remember catching a glimpse of what looked like…a leg."

Discord quirked his eyebrow curiously, as he inquired further.

"A leg?" He asked.

"Y…yes. We were being questioned and healed by some of the Royal Guard, when I saw a unicorn levitate it from the balcony. Th…There might be a problem though…" She stated, her tone getting softer as she spoke.

"And what would that be, Pinkie?" The lord of chaos pushed further.

"W…Well, it wasn't a hoof, I can tell you that. I…I think Twilight must have…lost it…before her final transformation." She said glumly.

"So, the essence of the fly would still be fused with Twilight's huh? Well, you do certainly know how to challenge me, Pinkie, I'll give you that," he chuckled.

Clearing his throat, he brought the conversation back to its somber roots quickly.

"If you can get it to me, I can make this happen. It will be difficult, but I can do it. Do you know where it is?" The Draconequus asked.

Pinkie Pie nodded, "Yes. They are keeping it in a vault in an area of the castle they converted into a small makeshift lab. Princess Celestia wanted to be close to all the research regarding what happened. I… I can get it for you. I promise!" she exclaimed, as she stared up into Discord's eyes.

"Well, I admire your pluck, Pinkie, but it will be easier said than done. Knowing Empress Boring, I'm sure the whole place is under lock and key," Discord mused.

"There is only one night guard for that space. And from what I've heard, it might be easy to slip by. I'll need a distraction, though," she thought aloud.

"Pinkie Pie, I can't go around using my magic! Ponies everywhere will know I escaped! And if I'm going to be found out, it better be because of something much grander than a mere distraction!" he huffed.

"No. You're right. This is my job. I'll do it myself. For Twilight!" she stated with a look of determination in her eyes.

"Enough with the mushy stuff, and get going!" Discord shouted as he turned around, crossing his arms.

Pinkie Pie was off like a flash of lightning. This was a big risk that she was taking, but it was also a necessary one. Besides, she had already done the unthinkable, and as Discord said, she was willing to turn all of nature upside down to accomplish her goal. But that's exactly what friends do for each other. She would go to the ends of Equestria if it meant bringing Twilight Sparkle back. She had to be patient, but she knew if she waited long enough, she would have her shot. As she made her way into that side of the castle, she was cautious, keeping her guard up, and doing her best to keep out of sight. Soon, she saw the night guard. Sure enough, it seemed to be a young stallion. He looked to have been fresh out of training, and just as Pinkie Pie had heard, he was not used to the night details he had been assigned. He sat at his desk in front of the main entrance to the lab, his eyes drooping.

'_Come on…Come on…Just a little more…'_ Pinkie Pie thought to herself, as she peered from behind one of the large stone pillars down at the other end of the hall.

Within a few minutes, he was snoring, and that's when she made her move. Being as quiet as she could, she made her way towards him, and gently picked up the key ring next to his sleeping form. She froze as a light rattle emanated from them as she straightened up stiff. The guard pony simply shifted in his place, and Pinkie Pie made her way over to the main door. Unlocking it was easy enough, and luckily for her, the moonlight shone bright, illuminating the room. There were all kinds of scientific tools everywhere. She sighed as it reminded her of Twilight's basement before this completely horrific ordeal. As she made her deeper into the lab, fortune seemed to smile upon her as the deformed leg was out of the safe and in a glass box on the counter.

'_They must have been running some tests on in and left it out. Well, good for me, anyway.'_ She thought to herself as she picked up the box.

She exited the room quickly, placing the keys gently back on the desk in front of the sleeping guard. She made off as fast and as quietly as she could. The glass case was rather heavy, and hard to carry. Luckily, it seemed to have a strap, so she could wear it as a saddlebag. She stopped to put it on, but was worried about the precious seconds that she would waste doing so. Her eyes darted left to right as she hastily tried to hoist the case over herself. Unfortunately for her, it fell, shattering the case. She panicked, looking from side to side, shaking. This was it. She was going to be arrested, and banished by the princess herself. As the seconds ticked by, however, it was evident that no one had heard the crash. Now the only problem was the leg itself. How was she going to get it to Discord? She winced as her only option became apparent. She knelt down on the sharp glass as it cut into her skin, and lightly bit down on the leg. The wretched taste of dead flesh, entered the pink party pony's mouth almost making her vomit. She took off running as fast as she could towards where discord was, wincing in pain as the glass stuck to her hooves cutting deeper into her flesh. She pushed through the pain, leaving a small blood trail behind her.

'_Please still be there, please still be there…'_ the earth pony repeated to herself in her mind.

Sure enough, as she rounded the corner back to the Canterlot Gardens, the Draconequus sat quietly, in the same positing as she had left him. If she could release a sigh without emptying the contents of her stomach, she would have. Finally, the pain became too much for her, tripping over her own hooves mere feet from where Discord sat. His head snapped to the side upon her arrival.

"Ah, the plucky little pony returns," he stated playfully.

As he stood he further inspected the party planner before him, and quickly raised an eyebrow. She was a complete mess. He tilted his misshapen head and quickly found the blood trail that trickled behind her. As he looked back at her, his eyes went wide as he saw the grisly deformed leg hanging from Pinkie Pie's mouth. It was then that the situation these ponies had been dealing with really struck him. In all his years, he had never seen anything like it. It was truly the most revolting thing he had ever seen. If he had a heart, he would have felt sorry for her. However, he had an end game in mind, and this was the first step to beginning his gambit. Pinkie Pie lightly dropped the mutated leg in front of Discord and began coughing wildly. She turned to the side, and crawled desperately towards the perfectly trimmed bushes. She did not make it however, as she vomited right where she was. Unfortunately, she had not been eating much lately, so what little came up included bile which burned her throat and made her whimper upon its exit. As Discord watched her, he could not decide if she was brave or stupid.

'_Going through all this for a supposed friend who tried to kill her? Fillies and gentlecolts, this is friendship!'_ The lord of chaos thought to himself as a wry half-smile crept on his face. Pinkie Pie was just getting her breath back, and did not notice Discord's amused look.

"If you're ready now, we can start. I guess I will have to clean you up a bit though," he said, snapping his fingers.

The blood, imbedded glass, and even the puddle Pinkie Pie's heaving created disappeared in a flash. The pink earth pony instantly felt better, her eyes wide at the gesture of what seemed like kindness. She looked up at him as a she formed a small smile on her face.

"Th…Thank you, Disco…" she began.

"No! I'm trying to hide our trial here! Nothing more! How did you get like that anyway?" he asked in an annoyed tone.

"The leg was in a heavy glass case, and it shattered. I'm sorry," she answered, meekly.

"Well, what's done is done. I should have known I would need to clean up after you," he said flatly.

The Draconequus closed his eyes, using his magic to trace back Pinkie Pie's steps. He soon found the small blood trail and shattered glass. Within an instant, they were gone as if they were never there. He opened his eyes, staring at the pink pony before him.

"So, shall we get started?" he asked in a dangerous tone.

"Please," Pinkie Pie stated quietly.

"Before I begin, I just want to ask you something; why are you going through all of this for somepony who tried to kill you?" Discord asked her seriously.

Pinkie Pie's eyes gazed downwards, as she brought a hoof to her face. She hadn't really thought to ask herself that question. She had simply seen a way to obtain a sense of normalcy by having her friend returned to her. She shifted as more questions came into her mind. What would the others think? Could we ever be friends again? What if the Princess and my friends hate Twilight, and what if they hate me? After a minute or so of mulling, she stood and faced the Draconequus.

"Look, I know it's her fault for experimenting on herself, but she came to me when she first started to change. She… she pinned me down and wouldn't let me go until I Pinkie Promised never to tell anyone. I… I didn't want to break that promise, but things just happened so quickly. If I had just said something… anything… Twilight might still be here with us. That's my mistake and I can't forgive myself until I make it right. Part of friendship is being able to depend on each other, even when you don't want to. I realize that now. I just want to make it right. And, I miss her. I miss my friend. Even if it means breaking the rules, I want her back in my life. Does… that answer your question?" she said.

"Yes, although, I still say you're crazy. Oh well, let's get this show on the road!" Discord exclaimed while rubbing his paws together gleefully.

The lord of chaos floated over to the deformed appendage, as Pinkie Pie walked over on the opposite side of him. He turned to face her.

"Now listen, as I said this is going to be hard, even for a being of my talents. I need you to be quiet so I can concentrate. Understood?" he ordered. Pinkie Pie nodded, staying silent. "First, I'm going to try and separate the fusion of the fly and Twilight. I must tell you though; there is no guarantee that I will be completely successful. The part that is Twilight will be grown into a new body. Although it will be new, it will look just like the way she did before all of this. Once that is completed, the hard part begins. I will have to use my power to search the astral plains for her spirit. Her soul. If I can reach it and pull it out of wherever it is, then I can form a bridge that will allow the spirit to enter the new body, and then you shall have your Twilight Sparkle."

Again, Pinkie Pie nodded, her forehead slightly beading with sweat in anticipation. As wrong as she knew it was, she couldn't help but be a little excited, as well as a bit curious. She watched intently as the Draconequus shut his eyes, and begin to concentrate. Magic enveloped the detached leg, as it started humming and floating. Within a few moments the appendage began to glow, as small orbs of light seemed to fall away, coagulating next to the horrid limb. Pinkie Pie watched in awe while Discord worked. Seconds, then minutes passed by, as the orbs began to form a solid pattern, the earth pony could see the strain this was putting on the Draconequus. Every muscle was taut and tense, and his brow furrowed in concentration. Slowly, the mutated leg began to fade, until it disappeared completely. After almost an hour of concerted effort, the light began to dissipate, and what appeared made Pinkie's heart almost jump out of her chest. In front of her was the body of her friend, Twilight Sparkle. It took every modicum of restraint she had not to leap forward and hug the body of her best friend even though she knew it was only an empty shell. She turned to thank Discord for his work, when she heard a monstrous thump. The lord of chaos had spilled onto the ground, breathing heavily. Pinkie Pie's eyes widened at the sight. She prayed it had not been too much for him. As she made her way over to him, he stopped her in mid trot.

"N…no. I'm alright. I just need a moment," he stammered.

He looked around as he spoke again. "I suggest we move this party somewhere else. I imagine you don't want little Twilight to know how she came back, do you?" He questioned.

"You're right. Oh! And before we leave, maybe you could make a replica of the statue you. So, that…no one would…know," she said her voice trailing off quietly.

She suddenly became quite disappointed in herself. She was acting more like an accomplice than a friend, and based on the grin she was receiving from Discord, he seemed to agree.

"Well, look at that. Covering up a lie is really quite becoming, my dear. You seem to have discovered another talent besides laughter," he remarked snidely.

She was about to protest angrily, when he began again, "Now, now, don't get all upset. I agree with you. I'll make the statue, and then we can move. I imagine you also have your own suite here at Casa Del Dreary?" he inquired.

She nodded, still scowling, "It's on the other side of the castle. Not far. My window faces the gardens." She said.

Discord turned and snapped his fingers. In an instant, a perfect replica of his statue appeared, as though it had never vanished. He then stuck out his paw, putting a finger to the pink pony's forehead. After mentally linking with her, he found the location of her domicile and quickly teleported them to it. After a moment to settle down, the earth pony and lord of chaos took their positions surrounding the body of Twilight Sparkle.

"Alright Pinkie Pie, this is it," he announced.

The Draconequus shut his eyes, and began to glow. After a few moments, his eyes opened, ablaze with a bright yellow color. '_Well, that was much easier than I thought. I have to admit, this whole situation gets more and more interesting the more I find out. Imagine, a favorite of Princess Celestia herself ending up THERE after kicking the bucket! I'm sure stories of her experiences in THIS place will make for fantastic dinner conversation!' _he mused.

Pinkie Pie backed away from the lord of chaos as the light grew in intensity. Discord strained once again, touching his tail to the forehead of the unicorn vessel in front of him. Soon, a yellow aura surrounded Twilight's body, and after a few more moments, there was a bright flash, and the lord of chaos fell to the ground. Pinkie Pie tentatively approached her friend's body, and soon she could hear a faint repetitious sound.

She was breathing.

The earth pony gasped and brought a hoof to her face, hiding her smile, as her eyes became misty. She was alive. Pinkie Pie couldn't believe it. It worked. It actually worked! Or had it? She had to make sure. She walked over to Discord, who was still reeling from the effort he exerted.

"Discord, is she…did it…" she stammered.

"Pinkie Pie, your concern for me is admirable," he interrupted.

"Oh! You're right! I'm sorry!" she exclaimed, embarrassed.

The Draconequus just laughed, "Yes, Pinkie. I was able to bring her back. She will sleep for a bit, but trust me, it's her," he said standing up.

There was an awkward silence as the two stared at each other. They could both hear the soft snoring of Twilight. Where did they go from here? What was next? Pinkie Pie began to worry about what the lord of chaos would do now that he was free. He seemed to sense her fears, and soon put them to rest.

"Don't you worry your pretty little head, my dear. I'm not going to go on a rampage. Actually, I was thinking of heading over to the griffon lands. They anger much easier than ponies do, which really is funnier for me. Take care of yourself Pinkie Pie. However, before I take my leave, there is an old saying that I believe you should keep in mind," he said as he approached the window.

"What's that?" Pinkie Pie answered eyeing him curiously.

"Be careful what you wish for. You just might get it."

She just smiled at him. Perhaps she had misread his warning, but she believed it was his way of looking out for her. After everything he had done, she could not look at him as an evil creature anymore. She had been awed by his power, and surprised at his generosity. How ironic that the latter was an element of harmony.

"Thank you, Discord," she said, bowing her head.

The Draconequus simply smiled back, as he turned to leave. He took to the air and was gone in a flash of light. She turned around, hearing a meek cry. She rushed over to Twilight's side.

"Twilight? It's me! Pinkie Pie! Wake up! Please, wake up!" she whispered while gently cradling the unicorn's head.

Twilight's eyes fluttered open, as she stared up wide-eyed. Where was she? Her vision was blurry, but soon came into focus on an image that looked like Pinkie Pie. Was this real?

"P…Pinkie…is that…you?" she whispered her voice hoarse.

Pinkie Pie hugged Twilight with all her might. She was back. After months of such a horrible ordeal, she was back. Alive again. Now everything could go back to normal! They could go back to Ponyville, and go on with their lives. They could be friends again.

"Yes, Twilight! It's me! And you're alive! I missed you so much!" she exclaimed, water dripping to the floor from her eyes.

Twilight returned the hug out of instinct, but there were so many questions. Her mind raced, not fully understanding what had happened. She knew she was back. She could feel. She could touch and be touched. She could comprehend the tangible reality that now surrounded her. But how did she get here? Ponies don't just come back to life! There had to be an explanation! But right now, none of that mattered. After everything she had been through, she was herself again, and one of her best friends was embracing her. Right now, that was enough. They just sat together, hugging each other for the rest of the night.

The Sun's hue showed brightly through the plate glass windows into Pinkie Pie's suite. There Twilight Sparkle stood, looking into one of the extravagant mirrors that were customary for a room like this at the palace. Using her right hoof, she gently stroked her mane. The sensation of feeling her own mane again almost had her break down in tears of joy and relief. She was back. She didn't know how, but she was alive, and in a welcomed situation she never thought she would ever be in again: She was in a bedroom, waiting for one of her best friends to finish getting ready. It was perfect. She wanted the moment to last forever. She knew differently, however. The smile she wore dimmed at the thought. There were going to be questions. Not just from the Princess, but from her friends as well, and for the first time, she didn't have any answers. She didn't even know where to begin. One moment she was…there….and the next she was lying in Pinkie Pie's hooves.

"Ok, Twilight! Ready to go?" a cheerful voice echoed from the lavatory.

Twilight snapped away from her thoughts after hearing the pink earth pony's voice. She nodded, but soon a frown replaced her smile.

"Pinkie Pie, I know you're excited, and although I have many questions, what's going to happen when we see the others? How…are they?" she asked, her voice turning to a whisper at the last question.

Pinkie Pie just smiled. "Oh, they are fine! They are going to love seeing you again! It'll be great! We can have a welcome party! We'll have balloons, and cake, and…"

As Pinkie Pie continued, Twilight's frown deepened. She remembered how much pain she caused, and it was obvious that the earth pony wasn't telling her how things really were. She felt sorry for her. She was going to be so disappointed.

"Pinkie, you don't have to put on a brave face for me," Twilight said, cutting off the pink party planner.

"It'll be fine! You'll see, Twilight!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed.

As they exited the room, Twilight Sparkle was grateful that Pinkie Pie was in front of her leading her down the hallway to one of the main lounges. That way she could not see the doubt written on her face. This was going to be bad, and she knew it. It couldn't be helped, though. She had to see them. She had to know they were alright, even if she knew deep down that they weren't. After a few moments, they came to one of the minor halls in the castle. Pinkie Pie went in first, with Twilight waiting outside. Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Rarity were sitting in a circle with Princess Luna at the head. The princess of the night had taken up the task of monitoring their progress with these meetings every few days. They had been meeting every day, but after months of constant treatment, it seemed time to give each of them some space.

"Hi everypony!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed as she burst in.

"Pinkie Pie? What are you doing here?" Rarity asked confused.

They all perked up at the interruption. Pinkie Pie was speaking for the first time in months, and she actually looked happy. The pink earth pony obviously had some sort of breakthrough. What could have happened? Not wanting to shy away from possibly getting Pinkie Pie to open up, Luna didn't show her true emotions, and instead acted like her usual self.

"It's alright, Rarity," Luna interjected.

She turned towards Pinkie Pie as she continued. "Please, take a seat, and we can begin."

"Actually, I have a surprise for you all!" she said, giddy with excitement.

She turned towards the door, and shouted again, "Okay! That's your queue!"

Twilight Sparkle sighed. This was it. She had no idea what to expect from what was on the other side of the door in front of her. She just had to do it, like pulling an adhesive bandage off her fur. She took a deep breath, and walked in. Her eyes shut tightly; she couldn't bear to look at them yet. She opened them only after hearing the gasps and the clacking of hooves on the marble floor as they all stood up in an instant. They were all here; Fluttershy, Applejack, Rarity and Rainbow Dash. Even Luna was in the room.

"Look! Look! It's Twilight! She's back! Isn't this just the best thing ever?!" Pinkie Pie shouted, barely containing her happiness.

"What? I don't…" Luna stammered.

Rainbow Dash immediately took a defensive position. The Changelings have gone too far this time. How dare they use the memory of a dead friend against them?

"WHO ARE YOU? DID THE CHANGLING QUEEN SEND YOU TO SPY ON US?!" she yelled, marching forward.

"I'm…I'm not a changeling. It's me girls. I'm… back," Twilight Sparkle answered quietly.

"But…but… you were dead! We… we were there! We saw it!" Applejack said fearfully.

"Girls, look. I'm not sure what happened. One moment I was… not here… and the next I was in Pinkie Pie's room. I can't explain it," the unicorn said, hanging her head.

"A…are you really…her?" Applejack stammered.

"Yes, Applejack. It's me," Twilight answered.

No one said anything. The silence only added to the tension, which was already palpable. Twilight gazed at her former friends with a look of melancholy. Her worst fears had come to fruition. She had hoped so much that Pinkie Pie was right. She wanted to be accepted again, and go back to the way things were. It was obvious however, that such a notion was nothing more than a dream. She didn't know what more to say. Quite literally, she didn't know how she came back. She took a few steps forward towards Fluttershy before speaking again.

"Girls, you have to know how sorry I…" she started.

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" Fluttershy screamed as she shuffled backwards.

Everyone in the room, including Twilight, gasped at the reaction. The unicorn's eyes grew heavy, however. She couldn't blame her. The last time Fluttershy saw her, she was trying to fuse with her. Of her friends, she physically hurt Fluttershy the most. Her nature already being as timid as it was, she couldn't really be surprised.

"That's enough. Clear the room. Now!" Luna said coldly.

The other ponies complied, not making a sound as they each past by Twilight Sparkle, towards the door. Fluttershy kept her distance, while Applejack gave her a confused gaze. Rarity simply glared at her. The looks she gave Twilight made her fur stand on end. Her eyes seemed to bore a hole right through her. Twilight's fellow unicorn stopped for a moment, just staring into her former friend. She continued on followed by Pinkie Pie.

"Pinkie Pie. We are going to have a talk about this later," Luna said roughly.

With the door closed behind her, Luna just stared at the unicorn before her. The former element of magic gulped and fidgeted under the glare of the alicorn. She was being scanned magically. She could tell. She decided to try another tactic.

"H…how is Spike doing?" Twilight asked meekly.

"Come with me," Luna commanded, ignoring the question.

Twilight followed the moon princess out of the room and through the elaborate corridors. She knew where they were going, and she was dreading each passing second. They were going to see Princess Celestia. Twilight's mind raced with each step she took. What would she say? What would the princess say? The time seemed to move quicker than she expected, as they found themselves in front of princess Celestia's bedchambers. Princess Luna didn't even bother knocking, using her magic to open the door. The room was dark, with the curtains pulled over the windows. Twilight had never been more nervous in her life, as she followed Princess Luna into the room. She quickly spotted her former mentor lying on the bed staring at the far wall away from the door.

"What do you want, Luna?" Celestia asked dejectedly.

Luna turned to Twilight, coaxing her to speak.

"Pr…princess? It's me. Twilight Sparkle," she said, just above a whisper.

Celestia shot up from her position, turning to get a look at the owner of that voice. She whimpered as she laid her eyes on Twilight Sparkle. Her stomach was in knots. Standing before her was her former student. All of the bitterness, the sadness, seemed to melt away in an instant. Was this real? Was she really right here in front of her?

"Twi…Twilight Sparkle? But…How?" she stammered.

Luna stepped forward, offering an explanation, "Pinkie Pie said that she appeared in her room this morning. I performed a magical scan on her. There is no doubt, this is Twilight Sparkle," she said.

The sight of her mentor was too much for her to take. Twilight rushed forward, embracing her former teacher.

"Princess, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry!" she cried, burying herself in the white alicorn's chest.

The Princess felt tears form in her eyes as she returned the hug with her wings and cradling her neck towards her former pupil.

"I missed you so much, my student!" Princess Celestia answered.

There they stood, embracing each other like a mother cradling a lost child whom she had just found. Twilight Sparkle hugged her teacher even tighter as tears continued to burst forth from her eyes.

"I…I don't…know…what to…say…but…please, please, forgive me!" Twilight wailed in between sniffling.

"It's alright, Twilight. I'm here now. You're here now. Everything is going to be alright," Princess Celestia reassured her.

Twilight couldn't help but let a muffled giggle slip through her crying as a brief smile made its way onto her face. Even after everything she had done, the princess still treated her as if she was her own. Princess Celestia was truly her second mother. Suddenly, Twilight pulled away, her eyes wide with worry.

"Spike! How is he? And my brother! And my parents! And Princess Caden…"

"Shhh, Twilight, they are fine. They miss you very much. Let's get you settled in, and I will alert them to your presence tomorrow. You must have been through a terrible ordeal, and Luna and I have many questions. We will prepare a room for you here, for now," the Princess said in a serene voice.

"Thank you, Princess! Thank you so much!" Twilight exclaimed, smiling at the royal alicorn.

"Come. I will show you to your new room, Twilight Sparkle," Luna said.

They turned to leave, with Twilight turning to show a smile towards the Princess. Celestia returned the smile.

'_Maybe Pinkie is right. The Princess seemed happy to see me. Maybe things can still work out for the best!'_ she thought to herself, as she made her way down the hallway towards her new room.

Rarity stood outside of her former friend's room. The Star Swirl the bearded wing of the Canterlot library had given her the spell she needed, just in case anything happened. It was also easy to use her charms to elicit where Twilight's new room was located. She smiled at the thought of flirting with a particular stallion that she had her eye on ever since coming her for her treatment. With that last thought, the smile she wore quickly faded. She was here for a reason. She needed to do this. There were things she needed to say to the mare that tried to turn her into a lab experiment, and said mare was just on the other side of that door. She found herself almost excited at finally being able to say what she wanted to say to whom she wanted to say it. One so rarely has the chance when one of the two parties is deceased. That wasn't the case anymore, however. This Twilight Sparkle had been given both Princesses seal of approval of being the genuine article. That was good enough for her. She lightly knocked on the door. She heard a shuffling, and within a few moments the door slowly opened revealing the unicorn.

"R…Rarity? Hi," Twilight said nervously.

Her fellow unicorn narrowed her eyes, scowling at Twilight before speaking, "We need to talk. May I come in?" she said in a clam yet cold tone.

"Um…of course, please…come in," Twilight said stepping aside.

As she made her way to the center of the room, Rarity could hear the creek of the door closing behind her. Once she heard the lock turn, she turned to face her former friend.

"So…what did you want to…talk about?" Twilight asked tentatively.

"I just want to know how if felt, Twilight," Rarity said in the same tone.

"What…do you mean…being dead?" The unicorn answered, her head drooping.

"Oh, no, silly, of course not. I just wanted to know how it felt to give Fluttershy a concussion," the light gray seamstress said in an obviously mocking tone.

Twilight was taken aback by the forward rhetorical question, "What? What are you…"

"How about when you kicked Rainbow Dash in the stomach so hard you gave her a welt? Or what about you threw us all from the top of your staircase?" Rarity said, her voice dripping with venom, as she stomped towards her fellow unicorn.

"Rarity, please, I just…" Twilight tried to counter, but was cut off, by a blow across her face.

She grunted as she was sent to the floor in a daze. Rarity stood over her, and activated her magic sending an aura throughout the room.

"Rarity?! What are you…UGH!" Twilght cried as another hoof struck her across the face.

Blood dripped from her muzzle as she heard Rarity continue her accusations.

"Was it fun for you? Hmm? Was it fun for you to beat Applejack? Or throw the rest of us around like we were RAGDOLLS?!" She screamed the last word, as she again brought down her right hoof, striking the side of Twilight's head eliciting another yelp from Twilight.

"Rarity, please!" Twilight shouted, bringing her right hoof above her head to shield the blows.

"How dare you….HOW DARE YOU!" Rarity bellowed, as she activated her magic.

She lifted Twilight's body in the air with her magic and slammed the unicorn into the far wall. Twilight Screamed in pain, her back now on fire. As the light gray pony stomped forward, Twilight realized what spell had just been cast.

'_Oh no! she casted a soundproofing spell!' _The unicorn thought to herself.

She had landed just below the fireplace, and Rarity decided to take full advantage of that by propping her front hooves on the mantle, and using her back hooves to stomp Twilight. She reigned down blow after blow on the mare's body, as the purple unicorn yelped and whimpered in pain.

"Please…please stop…" was all she was able to get out, as yet another hoof struck her belly, knocking the wind out of her.

"YOU HAVE THE GAUL TO ASK ME TO STOP?! WHERE WAS YOUR COMPASSION WHEN FLUTTERSHY BEGGED YOU TO STOP?! YOU DIDN'T HAVE ANY DID YOU?! YOU JUST THREW HER INTO THE POD, LIKE A PIECE OF TRASH! I CAN'T BELIEVE I EVER CALLED YOU A FRIEND! WE WERE NEVER ANYTHING MORE THAN A COLD LAB EXPERIMENT TO YOU!" Rarity screamed in rage as she continued her attack.

She was right. She hadn't shown mercy, even to her best friends. She deserved this. She tried to kill them. This was retribution, and Twilight accepted her punishment. She stopped defending herself, exposing her body to the deadly legs that attacked her. She could not help but yelp as she felt each hoof strike violate her body, striking her chest and entering her soft belly. The sound of each hit made a soft thumping noise, which permeated her ears. Thankfully, Rarity had begun to tire. She breathed heavily, the adrenaline beginning to dissipate. Looking down, she could see the bruises beginning to form, as Twilight turned her head to the side, coughing up some blood.

"Please…please, I don't want to…die…again…" Twilight muttered hoarsely.

Rarity stared at her handiwork. Her eyes went wide as she realized what had happened. Twilight had let herself be beaten. The light gray unicorn began to feel guilty, and the guilt brought back the anger. She raised her right back hoof and stomped down hard on Twilight's stomach. Twilight screamed in pain as she turned her head to the side once again.

"Why, Twilight? Why did you make me do this?" Rarity whispered, tears falling from her eyes.

She knelt down, her touch becoming tender, as she cradled the beaten unicorn. She hugged her tightly, as she rocked back and forth, Twilight's head to her chest.

"Look at what you did to me," she whispered again as Twilight passed out in her arms.

Hi Everyone! Hope you enjoyed the latest chapter! They are getting longer, and I've been busy lately, so updates will be slightly longer between chapters. Well, that's it for now; Let me know what you think!


	4. Chapter 4

Rarity stood in the shower, letting the warm water cascade down her lightly colored coat. Her eyes were shut, adding to the sensation of the water finding its way in between her fur, her mane tossed about. She brought her hoof to her chest. The pain she felt was almost physical. The guilt was like a knife stabbing her repeatedly. How could she have done such a dreadful thing? This wasn't like her at all. She had so much anger and rage. As much as she tried to justify it, she knew what she did was terribly wrong. Had Twilight deserved what she got? When she asked herself that question minutes before, she would have answered a resounding yes. Now, she wasn't sure. She had never done anything like this before. Taking her hooves and crashing them down onto another. The sensation frightened her. Of course, she had done it before, but that was only for self-defense. This time, it was out of pure unadulterated fury. She stared at her hooves, as the sound of the running water pounded her ears. She could still feel Twilight's body parts on them. Her face. Her chest. Her stomach. These hooves almost beat someone to death. She began to cry softly at first, then louder after she realized no one could hear her.

'_Please, Twilight, please be alright!'_she thought to herself.

The fashion expert had taken the time to drop her fellow unicorn silently in front of a sleeping guard. Thank Celestia, she was able to hide in time before he woke up. The presence of the mare, especially in the state she was in, badly startled the young stallion. He had picked her up and immediately brought her towards the doctors' quarters. She was able to hide her presence in Twilight's room and clean up after herself. It was a miracle she made it back to her room without detection, especially since it was almost morning. The unicorn began to tremble as the realization of her actions hit her. What would the princess do if she found out? Would she be banished? Or worse? What's done is done, now, however. All she could do was let the water drown out her soft sobs.

It was almost time for the changing of the sun and moon as Princess Luna made her way to Twilight Sparkle's old quarters. Her sister had made sure to keep it the same as how her unicorn apprentice left it a few years ago. In an ironic twist of fate, it now housed the unicorn's assistant, Spike. As she made her way to the large balcony, the smile she wore faded. At first, she had been happy to tell Spike of Twilight's return. However, she remembered her last few conversations with the dragon. He had cocooned himself in a cold anger, ready to lash out at the slightest indiscretion. It didn't make things any better that he had a growth spurt as of late. He was now a full head taller than he was when he was in Ponyville. With his size came strength and dragons were very strong, indeed. She knew why he was angry; it was obvious. Hopefully, the news of Twilight's arrival would tear down his walls, and return him to the Spike of old. She landed on the balcony and used her magic to open the ornate doors. She walked in surprised to see Spike cleaning and putting books away. She almost let another smile slip through. Even with Twilight gone, he still did his duty. That was admirable.

"Oh what do YOU want?" He inquired coldly, barely looking in the direction of the entrance.

Luna scowled at the dragon before her. She knew they all had been through much in the past months, but she was still the co-ruler of this land, and her patience was beginning to wear thin.

"I'd thank you to address me properly, please," the princess answered sternly.

Spike gritted his teeth as his eyes narrowed. Her arrogance made his blood boil. He didn't care how much power she or her sister had, because no amount of power could undo a simple truth: if he hadn't been in Canterlot being a gopher for royalty, then the mare who raised him, his surrogate big sister, would still be alive. Besides, he had grown in size and strength, and if they wanted power, he was very close to showing them what a very angry dragon could do.

"Fine. How about this; 'what do you want…Princess?' Is that better, oh ruler of the night?" he said in a mocking tone.

"That's enough! How dare you speak to me in such a manner!" Luna shouted angrily.

She had come so far in her speech since taking back her mantle. This time's language took a bit of getting used to, but she finally got a handle on it after much practice. The same could be said for her Royal Canterlot voice, although she felt she might slip into it if the current conversation got any more heated.

"How dare I?! HOW DARE I?!" Spike screamed as he turned to face the alicorn.

"You're the one who brought me here when I SHOULD have been home! I was the one who always brought her back to reality! ME! When she lost it over a late assignment, who was the one to talk her down and alert your sister?! ME! I WAS THE ONE! IF I had just been there, none of this would have happened! YOU know it, and YOUR SISTER knows it too! That's why she NEVER came to see me! She just stuck me here, since I had outgrown my usefulness! Or is she ASHAMED?!" the dragon shouted.

Princess Luna had enough. For months, dealing with a depressed sister, trying to run a kingdom, administering aid to the former elements of harmony, and through it all, she had been patient and kind, but even she had her limit. Although he had grown, he was still a baby dragon and he had to learn his place.

"LISTEN WELL, HATCHLING, THE PRINCESS OF THE NIGHT SHALL BE RESPECTED!" she screamed in her Royal Canterlot voice.

She was soon floating above Spike her eyes glowing an eerie white, power radiating from her body. Spike stood his ground, however. If this were seven or eight months ago, he would have ducked for cover, apologizing profusely for such an inappropriate outburst. He had changed, however. He had grown physically, and he had started giving in to his baser nature. He had anger and nowhere to put it, so he had begun to give in to his instincts. He didn't care if he would lose this fight- he would instead make sure that the moon princess knew the repercussions of threatening a dragon. He crouched with one leg back, bearing his claws. He clenched his jaws, bearing his razor sharp teeth. He felt the fire well up in his belly, as a yellow glow started to shine through his teeth, like a prism. In moments, the battle would be on. Just as he was about to answer the apparent threat before him, the door burst open, and two palace guards stormed in. Spike and Princess Luna immediately stopped what they were doing and faced the newcomers. There issues were private and would be settled accordingly. As Luna approached the armored stallions, the looks on their faces told her something was wrong.

"Princess, I beg your pardon, but there has been a development. Twilight Sparkle has been gravely injured. Beaten, your majesty," one of the guards said.

Luna's eyes widened, "Where is she? Is she alright?"

"She was found by one of the night guards, and has been taken to the doctors' quarters by the infirmary. She is being treated in the infirmary now by Nurse Redheart," the guard answered dutifully.

"Come, we must tell my sist…" she said before stopping herself and turning towards Spike.

She gazed softly into his eyes, as her frown deepened. She could see he was stunned. His eyes were wide as well and his jaw hung agape. Had he heard right? Did the guard say 'Twilight?'

"I'm so sorry, Spike. I…I came to tell you…Twilight's back. We don't know how, but she's alive," the princess said in a motherly tone.

"She's…alive?" the dragon whispered.

All of the anger and hostility melted away at the dragon's expression. She could see his eyes begin to water. The alicorn walked over to him, and embraced him in a hug. He reciprocated, sniffling softly. Regardless of the bravado, he showed earlier, he was still a baby dragon.

"I'm sorry I was so angry, Princess, I just…" Spike started, but the princess shushed him.

"It's alright, Spike. You were angry, and had every right to be. You were always her anchor, her rock, and I know you could have done something if you were there. I…we…took you for granted, and for that, I'm so sorry," she reassured the young dragon.

She turned towards the guards, "Has anypony told my sister yet?"

Almost immediately, they heard a scream that shook the building, as they saw a very ornate dresser smash through a window on the other side of the palace. They all stared in awe as the dresser crashed to the ground, the wood shattering.

'_Well, it appears that answers my question.'_Luna thought to herself worriedly.

Applejack stood outside the door of Twilight's new room. Of all her friends, she was the only one who came by. The others were too angry or too scared. No one had seen Rarity for over three days, and Princess Celestia was beside herself with worry. At first, she wouldn't let anyone in to see her fallen student except for medical personnel, but finally she opened the room to guests, Princess Luna and Spike being the first ones there. Spike cried himself to sleep in Luna's chest at the sight of Twilight so badly beaten. Luna had found it hard to hold a grudge against the baby dragon in his current state, and did her best to console him. Now, after three days, Applejack found herself staring at the closed clinic door, her feelings torn in a plethora of directions. What would her friends think? What would she think when she saw the broken unicorn? Who had done such a thing? Who wouldn't have done such a thing? She looked away from the doorway, unsure of what to do. She wished Big Mac was here, but his next scheduled visit was days away. As much as she would hate to admit it, she counted on her brother's advice. He had a way of seeing straight through a situation, and attacking its roots directly. She had always admired him for that. He wasn't here, however. Although she felt like she may be betraying her friends, she decided to take a chance. She approached the door and knocked lightly. She heard a heavenly voice state, "You may enter."

Obeying her princess, Applejack walked in slowly, trying hard to stop the door from creaking, in case Twilight was sleeping. She almost laughed aloud at the irony. She was being courteous to someone who had almost beaten her to death. Maybe deep down, she didn't blame Twilight for her actions like the others did. From the first time she saw Twilight in her mutating form, she thought of her unicorn friend as sick. It was as if she had a disease and she couldn't help herself. Perhaps that's how she was able to muster enough concern to come by and visit. As her eyes made it over to Twilight, she was shocked to see that she looked fine. It was as if she was simply sleeping.

"Good mornin' Princess." She whispered, making her way over to the alicorn.

Celestia didn't say a word. She didn't know who to trust. For someone to do this to Twilight Sparkle, even if she had committed horrible crimes, was inexcusable. She had investigated the scene in Twilight's room, and sensed some residual magic, but it wasn't enough to tell her who the culprit was. The Royal Guard investigation had turned up nothing, which incensed her. She couldn't be too hard on them, however- a crime as vicious as this was extremely rare within her country's borders, and agents, even military ones did not have much experience dealing with them. The princess of the sun was fairly certain that Applejack was not involved, given her detection of magic at the crime scene. Perhaps she was involved in another way, but until she had actual evidence to question her innocence, she would continue to be cordial.

"Good morning Applejack," she answered simply.

"Is…is she gonna be alright? She just looks like she's sleepin'. How…how bad was it?" The farm mare questioned.

Celestia frowned as she turned back to Twilight's sleeping form, "It was terrible, Applejack. She had many broken ribs, and it was a miracle that her lungs were not punctured. It is clear whoever did this did so out of rage and anger. This was not the work of anyone with training."

Applejack just nodded, her eyes still locked onto Twilight's sleeping form. With each passing second, she could feel the guilt well up inside her.

"So… are there any clues to who might'a done this, Princess?" she asked.

"Not much. Twilight's room was clean, except for some residual magic. Unfortunately, it was not nearly enough to tell who the attacker may have been," she answered, her scowl growing deeper.

'_Magic? Could it have been… Oh, Applejack, that's the most outlandish thing you've ever thought of! There is no way she would do that! She'd probably think it was too uncouth.'_Applejack thought to herself.

Suddenly, Twilight's eyes fluttered open, as she began to moan.

"Huh…wha…"

"TWILIGHT!" The princess and farmer exclaimed in unison.

The princess nuzzled her student, "Oh, I was so worried!" she exclaimed in a worried tone.

"Princess?" Twilight asked hoarsely.

"Yer gonna be alright Twi!" Applejack chimed in.

Twilight blinked a few times, and smiled as Applejack came into focus. She was happy that at least one of her friends was worried about her. After everything that has happened, she didn't think she deserved it, but she was overjoyed nonetheless.

"Thanks, AJ," the unicorn whispered.

The princess straightened up as a serious look on her face replaced the look of concern she wore mere moments before. She had questions, and at this point, only Twilight Sparkle had the answers.

"Applejack, I must speak with Twilight alone. Would you excuse us?" She stated.

Applejack complied, giving the princess a quick bow, and Twilight Sparkle a quick smile, she trotted out of the sterile room, being sure to close the door behind her.

"Twilight, I know you just woke up after this horrible ordeal, but I need to know who did this to you," the princess stated seriously.

Twilight shut her eyes, as images of an animalistic Rarity kicking and stomping her invaded her mind. She shuddered, as the sensations returned. She used her right hoof to caress her stomach and chest. Twilight then looked up into the princess's face. She couldn't tell her. If she did, Rarity would be severely punished. She knew her fellow unicorn would never do such a thing if Twilight hadn't begun this whole ordeal with a lapse in judgment made over half a year ago. In her mind, this was still all her fault, and now that she was back, she was determined to do her best to get everything back to normal.

"I…I'm sorry. I don't remember, Princess," the unicorn lied.

Twilight felt her stomach tie in knots. She had just lied right to her mentor's face. If this were seven or eight months ago, and someone asked her what terrified her the most, of all the things she feared, disappointing her teacher mortified her more than anything. After what she experienced, however, other things became more important, regardless of the cost. She was throwing away her integrity to save someone who almost beat her to death. Someone she used to call a friend. A best friend. She looked away as shame overtook her.

"Twilight, I know you're lying. Please, this is serious. What was done to you was not just wrong, but also illegal. The guilty party must be punished. You know that," the princess countered.

"I know, but…" Twilight started.

"Twilight! Tell me who did this to you!" The princess stated sternly.

Twilight was taken aback by the harsh tone, but held her ground, "Please, Princess, I don't really remember."

"You're lying!" The princess shouted, her volume growing with her frustration.

"STOP IT, PLEASE JUST STOP IT!" Twilight screamed, with tears streaming down her face.

She was shaking, as the princess backed away slightly at the outburst. Celestia cursed herself for misplacing her anger. Twilight was a victim of a horrible crime, and she had forgotten that fact, blinded by her desire for retribution. She approached her student again, nuzzling her softly.

"Please… I…I've never asked you for anything…but this one time, I'm… I'm asking you to let it go. I…I just want things to be normal again. I did horrible things. I…I hurt my best friends, and I betrayed you. I deserved this. I don't care who did it, it's over and I'm safe now," she whispered, sniffling into her mentor's ear.

"Twilight, you didn't deserve…" The princess started.

"Please… Let it go...for me," Twilight begged.

Princess Celestia was at an impasse. To ignore this deed went against everything she held dear. It went against order, justice, and her duty to protect the citizens of Equestria from harm. She pulled away slowly, and stared into her pupil's eyes. She almost broke down in tears at the sight of her student. The look of longing Twilight gave her was all she needed to see. She desperately wanted to be normal again. The princess knew she couldn't deny the unicorn a chance to achieve some sense of normalcy.

"Al…Alright, Twilight. I will not pursue the matter further," the princess stated.

"Thank you," Twilight whispered.

Twilight looked away from the princess. She lied and they both knew it, yet the princess, who should have been admonishing her, was allowing it. The pact they made should have eased the tension, but instead it made it more intense. Celestia wore a frown as she trotted slowly towards the door.

"You need your rest. We'll talk tomorrow. Get some sleep, my student," the alicorn said with compassion radiating from her tone.

Twilight Sparkle just nodded as her mentor left the room. Celestia's mind was racing. Even though she promised not to continue the investigation, she was still worried about Twilight's safety. There were too many unanswered questions, and regardless of the deal she made with her pupil, she had a duty to keep her safe. She finally came to a conclusion, as she walked towards the guards stationed at the entrance to the clinic. Since the incident, Twilight's presence had been kept secret. It was standard, albeit rarely used protocol. The princess needed to make an executive decision on the matter, as she faced the guards.

"Twilight's presence here shall not be discussed outside the castle walls. She is never…I repeat…NEVER allowed to leave the castle grounds until such time as I approve she is ready," she stated, as her own Royal Canterlot tone almost seeped through.

"Y…yes, your majesty!" They both shouted in unison.

As the princess of the sun walked away, she heard a shuffling behind her. She turned to see one of the guards had shuffled forward, and he seemed to have a question. He wasn't one of the younger ones. There is no way the first year rookie he was with would dare to approach her with a question after such a direct order.

"But…your majesty…what about…" he started.

"DID I STUTTER?!" Celestia shouted back, interrupting the now frightened guardpony.

In almost every case, that would have ended the conversation. However, this guard seemed to re-approach her. The forwardness of the action caused mixed feelings inside the alicorn. She didn't know if he was brave or just stupid.

"Your majesty, what about the Captain of the Guard?" he asked softly.

She looked away from the white Pegasus. He did bring up a good point one that she hadn't originally considered. She turned back around, and almost laughed as she saw the sweat starting to form on the stallion's brow. She maintained her composure. She would be sure to give this soldier a personal commendation for his efforts, and his spunk. He needed an answer, and she would oblige him.

"Shining Armor has been at my sister's castle with Princess Cadence looking after things there while Princess Luna attends to the elements of harmony. My original order stands. No one outside the palace is to know of Twilight Sparkle's return. Is that clear?" she said in a softer tone than before.

"Yes, your majesty!" The pegasus shouted, as he stood at attention.

"Good. Now, you will be my messenger. Report my order to all of the squads in the castle, as fast as you can," she ordered.

The pegasus nodded and let another "Yes, your majesty!" out of his throat before taking to the skies.

The Sun Princess watched the stallion take to the air with a pensive look. Even thought she had existed for over a thousand years, she still came to decisions that she questioned internally. She needed to be decisive on the matter, and she did truly believe this was the best course of action, at least for now. There was still a conflict within her, however. Had she done the right thing? That was the one nagging question, which she knew was going to keep her up at night.

As Princess Luna made her way down the ornate corridors of the castle, her thoughts drifted from scenario to scenario. She needed to talk to Pinkie Pie about Twilight Sparkle's sudden appearance. However, after that first night, the pink party mare seemed to revert to the state she was when she came to the palace in the first place. After conversing with Celestia and seeing to Twilight's care with her sister, she made a point to visit the other elements of harmony individually to advise them of what had transpired. Their reactions were varied, but not at all surprising.

Applejack's look of horror at the news was expected. Of all her friends, Applejack seemed to be the only one who didn't completely blame Twilight for her transgressions. While she did admit that her former unicorn friend had made a terrible error in judgment that started the whole situation, she seemed to view Twilight as a victim of her own mistake.

Fluttershy cried, Luna supposed not necessarily because of what happened to Twilight specifically. Her reaction to the unicorn's presence earlier in the day showed that the yellow Pegasus truly did not accept her former friend. The princess of the night suspected that it had more to do with the horribleness of the situation itself. Fluttershy hated the general terror that now surrounded her life, and Twilight's beating simply added fuel to the fire.

Rainbow Dash was stunned, but she seemed confused when Luna explained the situation to her. The rainbow-maned Pegasus seemed genuinely perplexed as to how she should feel. She had just asked to be alone with her thoughts. At least now, she was giving her feelings the true attention they deserved, rather than ignoring them.

Rarity's case was curious. She had waited outside the unicorn's door, since she heard the shower running. After many minutes, however, she could still hear the running water. She knew that Rarity strived for cleanliness, but the shower seemed a bit too long, even for her standards. Normally, Luna did not intrude into another pony's domicile without knocking. However, this was an important matter, and she was a princess. It was time to pull rank. When she entered the doorway, she called to the bathroom, after which she heard shuffling and the water turning off. Rarity appeared before her in a flash with towels wrapped around her mane and body. Although she was as cordial as possible, Luna could tell that the fashion expert had been crying. The news of Twilight's attack brought back the tears instantly. Luna did her best to console her, but it was not enough. Rarity finally asked to be alone, and Luna obliged her, slowly making her way out of the room. After the alicorn had made her way to the other side of the hall, she could have sworn she heard Rarity's shower turn back on. She thought nothing of it as she still had one more stop to make that night.

Pinkie Pie had answered the door with a huge smile. It broke Luna's heart to know that in a few moments, she would take that smile away from her. Upon hearing the news, Pinkie Pie collapsed where she was, crying her eyes out. She tried to form questions but they were incoherent through her blubbering. Luna once again was the shoulder to cry on, letting the pink earth pony get out her emotions. The princess of the moon hoped with all her might that Pinkie Pie would not revert to her previous state. She knew they had much to discuss, but it just wasn't the right time. It had been three nights since then, however, and Twilight had stabilized. Now, it was time for answers.

As Luna stood outside Pinkie Pie's door, she hesitated. These types of conversations should be awkward. She should be apprehensive about tackling such a matter, but over the last six months, she had become used to these dialogues. She didn't like the idea that she was becoming comfortable with subjects that were supposed to make her uncomfortable. Perhaps this is what her sister had always meant when she talked to her about maturity. With a sigh, she wrapped lightly on the door. As she suspected, she heard nothing from the other side. The princess would have to take the initiative again. The dark colored alicorn pushed the door open, looking around the quarters tentatively. She soon found the pink party mare sitting on the bed, her head on a pillow, staring out the window. Luna's heart sank, as her eyes seemed to confirm her worst fears. She walked in slowly, announcing her present, "Pinkie Pie? It's me, Princess Luna."

Only a sigh came from Pinkie Pie, her form unmoving. Luna took it upon herself to move closer to the earth pony, sitting next to the bed.

"Pinkie Pie, I know the last few days have been… tumultuous at best, but we need to discuss the circumstances of Twilight's…arrival," she stated as softly as she could.

Pinkie Pie nodded slowly, gripping her pillow tight. She looked like she was going to break down any moment. The princess searched her thoughts, looking for a way to keep Pinkie from closing her off. She finally decided that she would try to make the questions as closed ended as possible. Perhaps then, she could get the earth pony to open up.

"So, were you in your room when you found Twilight?" The princess asked.

Pinkie Pie didn't even look up. She just stared out the window, and let out a long sigh. She shifted slightly as she began to speak.

"I've been thinking about my family a lot over the last three days, Princess," she stated, just slightly over a whisper.

Luna edged closer so she could hear the pink party mare's explanation. She had been so closed off, and even though she was there for a specific purpose, if this was Pinkie's way of opening up, she would encourage it.

"Did you know there was a time when I didn't smile at all? That must sound funny to you, but it's true. When I worked with my family, we weren't even allowed to talk to each other, much less smile. I never understood why, but I never questioned it until the day Rainbow Dash made her first Sonic Rainboom. I was just a filly, but I'll never forget it. It was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen, and before I knew it, I had a smile on my face that I never even thought I was capable of. From that moment on, all I wanted was to make ponies smile. But, now, with everything that's happened, I'm starting to think about why my family never wanted me to smile in the first place. I think that… that maybe they didn't want me to start smiling because they knew you can't smile forever. My… my smile is gone, and I know what I had…I just can't bear the thought of not smiling again. Maybe I wouldn't feel that way if I never smiled in the first place," Pinkie Pie said, her eyes starting to well up.

Luna's eyes went wide at the admission. She knew she needed to say something, but she didn't know where to begin. She needed to tread lightly, and be careful not to force Pinkie Pie further down her melancholy path. She stood up and slowly walked towards the pink earth pony, embracing her in a hug as she whispered in her ear.

"After I came back to Equestria, I was so ashamed, I didn't think I would ever smile again either, Pinkie. I just wanted to shut the whole world away, and give in to what I thought was inevitable despair. I kept thinking, 'how could anypony accept me?' I knew my sister loved me, but my mind was filled with so many questions. Did my sister accept me back out of a family obligation, or did she really forgive me? I kept thinking about it over and over again, until finally I realized something. I had been given one of the rarest things the universe has to offer: a second chance. Once I embraced that notion, I was finally able to move past my grief. I know what happened to Twilight makes you sad, but she is alive, and recovering. You have that second chance with your friend. You can smile again, Pinkie Pie. You have to, for her, and for the rest of your friends," she said softly, before pulling away.

When she stared back into Pinkie Pie's eyes, she could have sworn she saw a twinkle of hope behind the tears. After a few moments, the earth pony smiled softly, nodding towards her princess.

"Ok, I…I'll try. Thank you, Princess Luna," she said quietly.

The princess nodded, returning the smile as she sat down in front of the pink mare.

"So, were you sleeping, and then what happened?" The princess said.

"Yes. W…well, I…I woke up to a bright flash, and there was Twilight, on the ground. At…at first I couldn't believe it, but when I rushed to her side, I could tell that she was breathing. And…and then she woke up. I was so happy. I never expected it to work, I thought it was just wishful thinking," Pinkie stated.

"Expect what to work?" The Princess asked curiously.

Pinkie Pie's stomach dropped as she realized her mistake. She had to come up with something quick before the Princess got to suspicious.

"Oh…well…I…I made a wish…every night… that Twilight would come back to us, and that things could go back to the way they were. I guess…my wish came….true," she stammered, the last words trailing off.

Luna nodded at the response, as Pinkie Pie released an inner sigh at the princess's apparent acceptance of her explanation.

"Very well. If there is anything else you can think of, Pinkie Pie, please let me know. For now, get some rest. We will start counseling again tomorrow. Have a good night," the alicorn said making her way through the doorway.

As she heard the door close, Pinkie Pie buried her head in her pillow, breathing furiously. She had lied. She had just lied to the princess. As she had just begun to calm down, she became exasperated again, as she remembered Discord's warning.

"_Be careful what you wish for. You just might get it."_

She whimpered softly, as she curled into a ball, her eyes staring out the window with worry.

As Princess Celestia made her way towards the infirmary, she was in such deep thought that if she hadn't known every inch of her castle, she may have gotten lost by sheer wandering. Her discussion with Twilight two days ago was still on her mind. She was still unsure if she had made the right decision letting the investigation for the attacker's identity lapse. She desperately wanted to keep her promise to her student, but at the same time, she felt her student might still be in danger. She knew that her guards were more than capable of defending Twilight, and she would not leave her unguarded a second time, especially while she was recovering. Perhaps it was just a timing issue. In keeping with her promise to Twilight that she would not pursue the matter further, that contract would be null and void if Twilight herself changed her mind. In time, perhaps with some convincing, she would divulge more information and allow the investigation to continue. The memory for her was too painful, however. It was so fresh in her mind, to keep forcing her to relive the trauma, especially since it was uncertain how much of her psyche was intact since she came back from the dead. The unicorn's return was yet another mystery, one that also needed her attention. However, there were other priorities. The first of which was to make sure that Twilight Sparkle was making a speedy recovery. As she approached the door, she put on her best smile, given the circumstances. It was the job of a princess to inspire her subjects, after all. She walked in and gasped at the sight.

"Oh, good morning, Princess!" Twilight stated cheerfully, standing next to one of the physicians, who was examining her.

Princess Celestia's jaw dropped as she took in the sight. Twilight looked fine. No broken bones, no abrasions, not even a scratch. How was this possible? It didn't make any sense. The doctor who was treating the unicorn turned to face the princess and gave her a very worried look. After a few moments, the princess walked in as she started to speak.

"Tw…Twilight? But… how? Your wounds…" she began.

"Oh, I'm fine, Princess! I'm feeling quite energized actually. Do you think it would be possible for me to head back to my room now? Not that I don't appreciate the treatment, doctor, but it's getting a bit stuffy in this hospital room," she said exuberantly.

"Oh, well, of course, Twilight, I'll have the guards escort you there now," the sun goddess replied.

After Twilight lightly bowed to the princess and began walking out, there was a loud rumbling. Everyone looked at each other for a moment before Twilight started laughing.

"Pardon me, Princess, but I think I'm just really hungry. I haven't really eaten anything in a week," she said sheepishly.

"Well, it is almost lunch time. I can have one of the royal chefs make you a salad…" she stared.

"CAKE!" Twilight shouted excitedly, interrupting her mentor.

The princess raised an eyebrow at her protégé, waiting for an explanation. Twilight never interrupted her before, even when she was a filly.

"Oh! Oh, Princess, I'm so sorry! I… I just have a bit of a sweet tooth is all. Would…would it be alright if I just had some cake for lunch? Please?" the lavender unicorn asked.

"Of…of course, Twilight, whatever you like. Please let the guards outside lead you to your room, and I'll make sure there is some cake sent up to you. Are…are you sure you're feeling alright?" the princess inquired.

"I'm feeling great! Thank you so much!" She exclaimed with another quick bow.

As Twilight trotted happily out the door, Princess Celestia could not help but stare wide-eyed. What just happened?

Her thoughts were interrupted by the physician, "Princess, I must speak with you about Twilight," the unicorn doctor said worriedly.

The princess turned around to face the doctor, "Of course, Doctor."

"May we go to the X-Ray room? I have something I'd like to show you," the physician pony said cryptically.

The princess immediately frowned. Even though she was immortal, she still had enough sense to know that when a doctor asked for a private conversation, it was rarely good. They quickly made their way to the X-Ray room, as the unicorn doctor used his magic to turn on the X-Ray lamps. The room filled with a cool white light as the doctor made his way over to a folder.

"Normally, I would not discuss a patient's state with anyone without their consent, but this is something you need to take a look at," he said, pulling the X-Rays from the folder and up against the light boards.

"As you can see, Princess, Twilight Sparkle was gravely injured when she first came here. This was her first X-Ray. It showed multiple fractures to her rib cage. She also had various cuts and abrasions," he explained.

"Here is day two."

"Day three."

"Day four."

"And finally, today a few moments after you walked in," he said.

The princess's eyes went wide at what she was looking at. In each frame, she could see the wounds disappearing. It was almost as if every day the damage was cut in half. That explained her appearance when Applejack had come to visit. Celestia had assumed that the medical staff has simply cleaned her up.

"Doctor, what does this mean?" She whispered with worry.

"By my estimation, it would normally take a little over a month to heal significantly from injuries this severe. And if you look at the last X-Ray, Princess," he said, pointing to it with his hoof.

The princess got closer and gasped. It was clear. Completely clear. It was as if he replaced the X-Ray with that of a completely normal pony.

"I don't know how, but her metabolism has increased dramatically. Although it seems to benefit her, this seems highly irregular. I thought you should know, Princess," he stated.

The sun goddess nodded her appreciation, turning around to walk out of the room. As she did, she ran into Nurse Redheart.

"Good afternoon, Princess. Is everything alright?" The nurse pony asked.

The white alicorn snapped out of her daze, her gaze drifting towards the earth pony as she spoke.

"Fine, Nurse Redheart. Everything is just… fine."


	5. Chapter 5

Twilight Sparkle sat in the sterile room, waiting for the doctor to come back. She fidgeted impatiently, as her eyes made their way to and from the window and the door, and then back again. It had been three days since her release from the infirmary and she had wanted things to get back to normal as soon as possible. Since it seemed unlikely that her friends were going to speak to her anytime soon, she decided to put her energy into something she believed to be more constructive: studying. Although she was forbidden to enter the Star Swirl the bearded wing (for obvious reasons), that was hardly the only library on the palace grounds. She had even gone back to her old quarters to see Spike. Their reunion was a tearful one, and they must have spent a good solid fifteen minutes just hugging one another. After that, though, it was back to business as usual for the unicorn and her assistant. She felt completely energized, and thanks to Spike's little growth spurt, he seemed much more capable of keeping up with her, which overjoyed the unicorn immensely. Today's session was bringing her down, however. Princess Luna had informed her that the unicorn was to have a session or two with a doctor to talk about her issues, and if given the clearance, she would be assimilated into the large group session with her fellow elements. Frankly, she didn't see the point. They didn't accept her, and probably never would. It would be too painful to be in a room with them talking about these things. However, this was still an order from Princess Luna, so she had to abide by it. Her thoughts were interrupted as the unicorn doctor re-entered the room.

"Hello, Ms. Sparkle. Are you ready to begin?" He asked politely.

"Yes," she answered in turn.

"Very good. So, Ms. Sparkle, how have you been feeling?" He asked.

The former element of magic eyed the doctor curiously before answering. She was trying to assess whether or not his question was asked out of genuine concern, or if he was just trying to get information out of her. She decided to be open, since she could think of no real benefit for such a ruse.

"I'm feeling fantastic, really. I feel energized; I'm back to my studies. I even re-connected with Spike. So, yes, I'm fine," she stated cheerfully.

The unicorn nodded and grunted in affirmation. He didn't seem to be buying her exuberant display.

"Yes, well, that sounds great, Ms. Sparkle. Tell me, how does it feel to be back?" He inquired.

"I love being back here. I missed everyone so much," she said.

"Ah. So, you were conscious even after you…passed on?" He prodded.

Twilight looked away nervously before she spoke in a voice barely above a whisper, "I don't want to talk about it."

"Well, Ms. Sparkle, in order to move on from a traumatic experience, it is sometimes necessary to get out what happened in words," the doctor countered.

Twilight looked up glaring at her fellow unicorn, "I don't care! I'm not going to talk about that!" She seethed.

The doctor straightened up, clearing his throat. This was their first session, so he didn't want to come off as prying. He decided it would be best to let it go and move onto something else.

"Ms. Sparkle, what can you tell me about how your relationships between you and the rest of the elements have changed? Have you spoken to them since your return?"

"Well, not really. I don't think that they really want to talk to me," she answered, looking down at the stone floor in front of them.

"Have you tried?" The doctor countered.

"N…No," the unicorn mare said.

"What would you say to them, if you could, Ms. Sparkle?"

"W…well…I guess I would say that I'm so sorry for what happened and that I miss them very much. I… I just want things to be like the way they were before this whole thing started," she said.

"Twilight, let us talk plainly for a moment. In life, one can never go backwards. Whether you want to or not, time and life move on. The only way for us to deal with the past is to do just that. Deal with it, and not revert to it. Have you told your friends that this is how you feel?" He said compassionately.

Twilight bit her lip nervously before answering, "No. I… I didn't think they would want to hear from me."

"Friendship is a two way street, Twilight. I'm sure they miss you too. Why don't you go talk to them? See what they say," he said.

The former element of magic looked around the room nervously. She knew that she would have to talk to her former friends eventually, but she needed to think about what to say. How would she even approach the conversation to begin with? She had too many thoughts and questions that she needed to work out.

"Ok. I…I'll try. Thank you, doctor," she said as she got up to leave.

Twilight Sparkle stared at the door in front of her for what seemed like an eternity. After her talk with the doctor yesterday, she had been at least somewhat confident about what she should say to her friends, but she found that going through with it was a different story. The ornate palace door should be giving her a sense of awe at its beauty, but instead it was instilling a feeling of dread. After meticulously thinking about what she would say to each of her friends, she also decided the order in which she would visit them. She would start with whom she thought would be the easiest to talk to, but she also wanted to start fresh. She was already fairly confident about where Pinkie Pie stood on her return, so she could talk to her later. Applejack seemed to be the best pony to try first. She was the only one of her former friends to come and visit her when she was in the infirmary, so the unicorn thought that she could build on that with her former earth pony friend. Twilight gulped as she raised her right hoof, about to make contact with the door.

'_Well, here goes nothing,' _she thought to herself as she knocked lightly.

The unicorn thought she heard a voice say "Comin'!" among the sounds of shuffling and hoof steps, which were getting closer to her position. The door opened revealing a very confused Applejack.

"Tw…Twi? Wh…what are you doin' here?" The earth pony asked nervously, as her eyes darted away from her former friend.

"Hi AJ. Can we…talk?" Twilight inquired sheepishly.

Applejack looked around uneasily. This was not a conversation that she was prepared to have. Even though she had a good idea where she stood on Twilight's sudden reappearance, she was still working on turning her thoughts into words. She wasn't quite sure what she wanted to say to Twilight yet. Finally, she looked back into the sad eyes of her former friend. That was all it took. She was still a member of the Apple family, and she couldn't in good conscience turn away someone at her door with a look that melancholy. She was taught country hospitality from a young age, and those lessons ran deep. Closing her eyes and sighing in defeat, she turned around, walking further into her domicile.

"Sure. Come on in, Twi," Applejack answered.

Twilight let out an almost inaudible sigh of her own as she walked in slowly behind the earth pony. The first part of her plan concluded, and with favorable results, she began speaking again, after she closed the door behind her.

"Thanks for agreeing to see me Applejack. I know you don't have to talk to me, but I'm grateful that you allowed me to come in," she said.

"Ok, Twi, that's enough. If you've got somthin' to say, then just say it," the farm mare replied.

Applejack turned around with a serious look on her face. She was in no mood for formalities, despite the fact that she wasn't ready to say what she wanted to yet.

Twilight Sparkle nodded and spoke again, "Applejack, I… I know I did terrible things. I just wanted to say, from the bottom of my heart, that I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything, and I hope that you can forgive me, even though I understand that you may never be able to. I'm not saying that I even deserve your forgiveness, but I just wanted to let you know how sorry I am for the things I did."

Twilight closed her eyes as her head hung low. She had said what she came to say, and now it was her turn to listen. She honestly didn't know what to expect, but the healing had to begin somewhere. The unicorn knew that she needed to be the one to take the first step, especially now that she was back. All that was left now was the waiting. After a few moments, she heard a sigh come from Applejack, and she opened her eyes to look at her former friend.

"Twilight, Ah know that yer sorry for what happened. But that don't make it ok. Ya tried to kill us. Ah know that wasn't yer intention, but with what that machine did to our pets…what YOU did to our pets… Twi, do you realize what you've put us through? Ya beat the hay outta us! Ya stuffed us in a contraption that was gonna scramble our atoms or somthin'! Ya threatened me…one o' yer best friends. And…and not just me, but mah whole family! Ah was a wreck! I had screamin' match after screamin' match with mah brother, and Ah couldn't even tell'em why out of fear that you were gonna come by like a thief in the night and melt his face off! Even though yer sorry, how can ya ask me to forgive you for all of that?" Applejack said.

Twilight lay on the ground with her front hooves covering her head. There were tears streaming down her face at hearing Applejack's words. She was humiliated. She knew the earth pony was right.

"I know, AJ. I just…I don't know what else to do! I want to make it better! I want everything to go back to the way it was before I ever opened up that stupid book, but I can't! The only thing I can do is say I'm sorry, and beg for forgiveness. Please, Applejack, please forgive me. I'm so sorry!" Twilight Sparkle said in between sniffles.

The sight made the farm mare's heart break. She knew that Twilight had meant every word of what she said. She had to be honest with the unicorn. Twilight had to know the gravity of the things she did. Deep down, however, there was still a part of Applejack that missed her friend.

"Twilight, Ah know you weren't yerself when you did all of those things. But all of the things ya did do started because of decisions you made, sugarcube, and those mistakes were yer fault, even if they snowballed into actions that weren't. Ah need some time to think 'bout all this. Ah don't fully accept yer apology, but it's a start, and Ah appreciate you comin' here Twi. It took guts," Applejack said.

Twilight got up, still crying, "Thanks, Applejack. I know this is hard for you, so I'll give you some space. Just… thanks for listening."

Twilight slowly turned and was out the door within moments. As she closed the door, she sighed.

'_Well, that went better than I expected. I half expected her to buck me into next week. Maybe she just needs some time,' _the unicorn thought to herself as she made her way down the hall to her next meeting.

Rainbow dash tossed and turned in her bed. She was incredibly restless. Ever since her "conversation" with Princess Luna, she had been grounded until the monarch of the night allowed for her to take to the skies once more. It was infuriating. The palace libraries didn't even have a great collection of Daring Do books, which incensed her even more. How come the Princess didn't get it? Flying was exactly how the rainbow-maned Pegasus dealt with her problems. The feeling of the air through her mane, the wind under her wings. It was the only time she truly felt like herself, and contrary to most other ponies' opinion of her, that is when she did the most of her thinking and reflection. Even though the new arrangement had given her plenty of time to think, it took all of her energy to keep from going stir-crazy. Suddenly, a knock at the door snapped her back to reality. She sighed in exasperation.

'_Who the hay wants to bother me now?!'_ Rainbow Dash thought to herself as she got up and made her way to the door.

"Coming!" She said in a noticeably irritable tone.

Upon opening the door, she gasped at the sight of her former friend. Twilight's frown deepened at the Pegasus' reaction to seeing her.

"H…hello, Rainbow Dash. Can I come in?" Twilight asked tentatively.

Rainbow Dash scowled at the question, but her gaze softened as she looked at Twilight more closely. The Cloudsdale resident could see that Twilight had been crying.

"I…I don't…, aw, hay, do what you want!" Rainbow Dash said in a huff.

She walked towards her bed and hopped on it, turning around to see Twilight slowly walk in behind her.

"Thanks, Rainbow," Twilight said.

For a few moments, there was silence. The two mares simply stared at each other, not knowing what to say, or even where to begin. Finally, Twilight spoke, trying to start the conversation.

"I…I just came here to tell you that I'm sorry. For everything. Everything I did and everything I said. I know that I hurt you and our friends more than words can describe, and I just wanted to let you know that I am so sorry," the unicorn said.

"I outta knock you into next week, you know that?" Rainbow Dash replied.

The unicorn was surprised, but not completely shocked at the remark. She may have caused more physical damage to some other ponies, but she hurt Rainbow Dash's core attribute: her pride.

"You hurt us, Twilight! Your friends! How…how could you do something like this? To us! We cared about you! Hay, we even fought side by side! I… I would have trusted you with my life! I DID trust you with my life! I would have done anything for you, and this is how you treat me?! Treat us?! I hope you aren't expecting forgiveness from me, 'cause it's NOT happening! Now, get outta here, Twilight! I got nothing more to say to you!" The Pegasus said angrily.

"Rainbow, please, I'm so sorr…" Twilight began.

"Do you have a hearing problem?! I don't want to talk to you right now, Twilight! Just leave!" Rainbow Dash shouted heatedly.

Twilight's head drooped as she walked towards the door. This was exactly what she was afraid of: her friends rejecting her, and not even being open to discussion. It hurt her more deeply since she knew she was to blame for their attitudes.

'_Maybe I can try again. Give Rainbow more time,' _Twilight thought to herself while walking down another corridor.

Fluttershy stood on her balcony overlooking the palace grounds. Her eyes were closed as she strained to hear the subtle chirping of the birds in the distance. She frowned as she remembered her habitat back in Ponyville. She missed all of her animals very much, but she knew she was in no shape to take of them right now. She was so deeply affected by what happened that it haunted her every day. Sleep was no escape. Nightmares plagued her night after night. There were certain sights from that night that she may never be able to get out of her head, and that pained her greatly. All she ever wanted to do was take care of animals. When she first arrived in Canterlot for treatment, the only thing that she remotely looked forward to was seeing some of the animals in the Canterlot gardens. It seems fate had denied her even that small comfort. It was worse than when she had attended the Grand Galloping Gala. Back then, she had been her usual kind self, until the very end of the evening, and they ran away from her even then. Now, fear permeated her being like sweat through pores, frightening the animals here even more than before. It was heartbreaking for her. Her eyes opened as she heard a faint knocking at her door inside. She slowly walked over the door, still deep in thought. When she opened the door, the sight of Twilight Sparkle made her yelp and scurry away from the doorway.

"Wh…what are you doing here?!" The Pegasus stammered.

"Fluttershy, please, I just want to talk to you, nothing more. Can…can I come in?" Twilight asked softly.

Fluttershy's chest was pounding, and her breathing became labored. She quickly ran for the bathroom, slamming the door shut, locking it. The yellow mare put her back against the door, trying desperately to get her breathing under control, just like the doctors taught her. After a few seconds, she began to calm down slightly, until a voice from the other side made her freeze instantly.

"Fluttershy, please, just listen! I realized that since I came back, I never said that I'm sorry for everything that I did! I just came to apologize!" Twilight shouted through the door.

"Go away! I don't want you here!" Fluttershy answered as she began curling into a ball on the cold bathroom floor.

"Fluttershy, please! It's me! The real me! I'm normal again! There's no reason to hide from me!" The unicorn shouted back.

"No reason?! NO REASON?! YOU WERE DEAD, TWILIGHT! I SAW YOU DIE A FEW FEET FROM ME! I'VE TAKEN CARE OF ANIMALS MY WHOLE LIFE, I'VE SEEN MY SHARE OF DEATH, AND DEAD THINGS DON'T APPEAR OUT OF THIN AIR ALIVE AND WELL! I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU ARE! GO AWAY! I DON'T WANT YOU HERE!" Fluttershy screamed.

"Fluttershy, I just wanted to let you know I'm sorry for everything that I did!" Twilight yelled again.

"I DON'T CARE! GO AWAY! I'M SCARED OF YOU!" The yellow pegasus screamed as tears began to stream down her face.

Twilight just stopped. She didn't think her heart could break even more, but with those words, her world shattered. Fluttershy said that she was scared of her. She was terrified of her former friend's very existence. She couldn't take it, as her legs gave out as she rested her muzzle against the door. She began sobbing quietly. The unicorn was finally coming to the realization that things could never go back to the way they were. Even though her logical mind had already made that determination, an emotional heartstring held on to some hope that she could make amends and that everything could go back to the way things were. With Fluttershy's last statement, however, that hope evaporated. She had lost her friends. The five mares closest to her. Of all of them, only one accepted her. It was over. She wouldn't want to scare Fluttershy even more than she had already.

"I… I'm sorry to have disturbed you, Fluttershy. I'll…I'll leave now," she said in between sniffles.

Fluttershy felt horrible. Even through the door, she could hear the unicorn's faint sobs. Fluttershy was the embodiment of kindness, and although she was scared out of her mind when the new Twilight was around her, she couldn't help feel guilty for making another pony cry.

'_Maybe I should apologize. I can't now, but maybe if I give it more time, I'll… I'll be able to talk to her. Oh, Twilight, I'm sorry!' _The animal lover thought to herself as she hugged herself into a tighter ball.

Rarity wore a soft smile as she stretched her limbs and back. She sighed deeply as she turned over in her bed. She frowned as she saw the spot next to her was empty.

"Darling? Where are you? Are you still here?" She called out.

Suddenly, a stallion appeared by the bathroom door. He was a bit disheveled, and quite exasperated.

"Shhh! Do you want to get me into trouble with the Princess?!" He said as gave the unicorn a worried look.

Rarity gave him a playful gaze as she regained her smile. Their relationship had started a few months ago. He was one of the night guards assigned to her wing of the palace. At first, it had started as nothing more than simple flirting. She would give him a simple glance or a wink as she would pass him in the halls on her way back to her room. Flirting gave her a small respite from her reasons for being at the castle in the first place. It allowed her to be in a situation that she controlled, and it was something the unicorn had desperately needed since coming to the palace and loosing that control over her life. After a few small conversations with the stallion, it was obvious that they had a connection, even if it was just a carnal one. She had so much pent up tension, and she needed release. This handsome stallion didn't need too much coaxing, since; after all, Rarity was a beautiful mare. One night, Rarity had simply come to him during his rounds and said that she was scared to be alone after a nightmare. He was easy to find, since he had begun taking a little extra time on his rounds to be close to her room. Once the mare got him into her domicile, the rest was history. He was quite the willing partner, despite his military discipline and the fact that such a situation was obviously taboo. In fact, the taboo nature of the liaison is what excited Rarity the most. She found the fact that they had to sneak around quite exhilarating and romantic. She giggled at the stallion's reaction.

"My apologies. It just surprised me when I awoke to see that you weren't there is all," she said softly, while getting out of bed.

The stallion could not help but smile as he watched Rarity saunter over to him. Even when just getting out of bed, she still maintained her beauty and grace. Once she was in front of him, she placed a kiss on his lips passionately. The stallion broke the kiss after a few seconds, and began to speak.

"As much as I would love to stay, and believe me, I'd LOVE to stay, I really should get going," he whispered into her ear.

Rarity pouted slightly, but she knew he was right. He was a royal soldier, and he did have duties to attend. A smile soon replaced her pout. His sense of honor and duty was one of the things that made him so attractive in her eyes. It would hardly be lady-like to keep him from his occupation, no matter how much she may have wanted him to stay. She walked back over to the bed before speaking again.

"I do hope you can visit me again soon, darling," she said as she hopped back on her bed, turning to see him leave.

As the stallion opened the door, he turned his head one last time to drink in his lover's beauty. The look she was giving him was driving him crazy. It didn't help that she sprawled herself across her covers in a rather comely position. Never in his life had he wanted to disobey an order so badly.

"I have this shift again two days from now. I could come back then," he said.

"I'll be waiting, my dear. I have some other…things… I'd like to try with you, if you're up for a little…experimentation, that is," Rarity said in the sultriest voice she could muster.

"Your wish is my command," the stallion answered while putting on his helmet.

As he turned to leave, he gasped at the sight in front of him. He felt his stomach tie in knots. He had been so careful. How could this be happening? He backed away slightly, as Rarity perked up from her position to see what startled her lover. She gasped as well when she saw what the royal guard has seen. Standing in the doorway, right in front of them was Twilight Sparkle. Her face was beet red, as she stood motionless, her eyes wide. This was Rarity's worst fear. Considering the recent history between the two unicorns, she loathed the idea of Twilight having something to lord over her. For a few moments, no one said a thing. The silence only added to the tension, as the seconds ticked by. Finally, Twilight Sparkle tried to speak.

"Oh…um…hello, sir. I… I just wanted to speak to Rarity for a moment," she stammered.

"Oh, of course!" The stallion said in his most professional voice, clearing his throat.

"Miss Rarity, if you no longer require my assistance, I need to get back to my duties," he said, turning towards the other unicorn.

Rarity's jaw worked up and down slightly, but for a few moments, nothing came out. Finally, she shook her head, snapping herself back to reality as she began to play along.

"Yes, thank you for your…help…sir. I'm fine now, you may go," she said as plainly as she could.

The stallion bowed quickly and turned to Twilight Sparkle. He nodded towards her, and briskly started to make his way down the hallway. Rarity got out of bed and walked towards the doorway. The awkwardness of the moment was so deep; it could be cut with a knife. Twilight thought for a few moments about what she saw. She was one of the smartest mares in all of Equestria, but it didn't take a genius to figure out what happened. After thinking about it for a few moments, the unicorn decided to ignore what she saw and move on to her real reason for being here. She had already caused enough pain, and didn't want to cause any more no matter how inadvertently. She cleared her throat as she began to speak.

"Rarity, can we talk for a few min…" was all she was able to get out before her fellow unicorn got nose to nose with her.

"Listen, and listen well, Twilight Sparkle! Do not ever…I repeat…EVER share what you have just seen with another soul, or else! Do I make myself clear?!" Rarity seethed.

Twilight sighed at the threat. This wasn't what she was here for.

"Rarity what you do on your own time is none of my business. I just wanted to talk to you. I never said I'm sorry, and I just wanted to…"

Again, the unicorn was interrupted, this time by the door being slammed in her face. She was taken aback by the action. Clearly, Rarity did not want to hear what she had to say. However, unlike with the rest of the elements, she felt a different sensation: Anger. It could be due to their "argument" from last week, but the rudeness that Rarity displayed just now made her seethe. She began to walk away, thinking about what had just transpired. Suddenly, rage began to displace her sadness and melancholy. She decided to explore these new feelings further, and soon began to form a different take on the whole situation. After dwelling on it, the conclusions she reached began to infuriate her. After she reached her room, she entered and hopped onto her bed, still thinking about what had just transpired. She could feel the bitterness well up inside her. Perhaps the doctor was right. She needed to get these feelings out. Princess Luna had come by early this morning and informed her that the unicorn would be taking part in tomorrow's group session. The princess wanted to accelerate the healing process for all of the elements of harmony, and she believed that putting them in the same room would eventually lead to them all opening up with each other, and moving past the events that transpired over six months ago. However, with her new take on the events, Twilight believed that the princess might regret her decision to include her in the group discussion. She had some things on her mind, and she was going to communicate them no matter what anyone said. That was her last thought before closing her eyes and drifting off to sleep.

Princess Luna sat in silence along with the other elements of harmony in one of the many lounge areas within the palace walls. Each one of them was reluctant to attend these sessions for various reasons, but still did so since it was the princess's orders. Before starting today's session, Luna had informed them that Twilight Sparkle would be joining them for the first time. To say most of them were less than thrilled would be an understatement. Rarity and Rainbow Dash both wore scowls, showing their obvious displeasure at the development. Applejack and Pinkie Pie both looked nervous. They could not tell what was going to happen, as the mixture could become volatile. Fluttershy looked like she was about to hyperventilate, but out of respect for the princess, did her best to quell her reaction. The creaking of the door snapped them all out of their thoughts as they looked up to see Twilight Sparkle enter the room. The purple unicorn slowly made her way towards the group, and as she got closer, the princess of the night began to study her. What made her curious was the look that Twilight wore on her face. She looked angry, which caught Luna off guard. Ever since her return, she had a gloomy air about her. Sadness seemed to surround her, but now she seemed to hold an aggressive stance.

'_I will have to tread carefully. Who knows what could be going on inside her mind,' _the lunar princess thought to herself.

"Greetings, Twilight Sparkle. Thank you for joining us today," Luna said with a forced smile.

Twilight huffed and nodded her acknowledgement towards the princess before taking a seat next to Pinkie Pie. There were in a circle, each facing one another. Twilight eyed them each carefully, her glare never leaving her face. Rainbow Dash and Rarity returned the dirty look, while Fluttershy fidgeted, trying not to make eye contact. Applejack and Pinkie Pie looked at each other after assessing their former friend. They seemed confused by the scowl she wore.

"Well, let us begin then. I want everyone to know that this is a safe place to let out your feelings. No one here will judge you, nor hurt you for expressing yourself. This includes you, Twilight Sparkle," the princess announced.

Twilight huffed again, turning her head away from Luna. It was loud enough for everyone in attendance to hear.

"Yes, well then, does anyone have anything they'd like to share?" The moon princess asked.

The awkward silence that followed only added to the mounting tension in the room. Suddenly each element of harmony could not make eye contact with the princess and began staring at the floor. This was the first time they were all together in well over six months. After the incident, none of them thought they would ever all be in the same room together again. After a few more moments, Pinkie Pie slowly raised a hoof. The princess thanked the stars that at least one of them would be able to get the ball rolling. With a bit more enthusiasm then intended, Princess Luna pointed at Pinkie Pie and gave her permission to speak. The pink party mare cleared her throat as she stood up to address her friends.

"W…well, I just wanted to say that… I think it's great that Twilight is back. I… I really missed her, and I'm glad she's back with us," Pinkie Pie said sheepishly.

"Well said, Pinkie Pie. Anyone else?" Princess Luna asked.

"You're a real piece of work, you know that, Pinkie Pie?" Rainbow Dash uttered in a mocking tone.

Pinkie Pie backed away, a look of confusion plastered on her face.

"Wh…what do you mean, Dashie?" She inquired nervously.

"Are you really so desperate for friends, that you would be nice to somepony who tried to KILL YOU?!" The Cloudsdale resident said angrily.

Twilight Sparkle's eyes narrowed at the young flyers comment, but decided not to say anything just yet. She tried to calm herself, but found it hard after the next barrage of statements.

"Honestly, Pinkie Pie! Rainbow Dash is right! How could you possibly take that thing's side over your friends! She hurt us! What possible reason could you have for wanting to be friends with her?!" Rarity exclaimed.

"I…I don't…I just…" the pink earth pony stammered.

"I don't have to take this! I'm leaving!" Twilight erupted, as she slowly began stomping away.

Princess Luna would have called her back, but was so surprised by the action, and it took her a few moments to get her bearings. She honestly did not see this coming. She stood to say something before things got out of control, but Rainbow Dash cut her off.

"Wait a sec…are…ARE YOU ACTUALLY ANGRY WITH US?!" Rainbow Dash screamed at her former friend.

"As a matter of fact, I am! I'm angry with all of you, with the exception of Pinkie Pie!" Twilight yelled in retaliation.

Rainbow Dash was seething as she quickly trotted over to Twilight Sparkle. Twilight stood her ground however, meeting the mare with a scowl as she approached. If the Pegasus wasn't so distracted by her anger, she would have been impressed.

"WHO THE HAY TO YOU THINK YOU ARE?! YOU TRIED TO KILL US! WHAT POSSIBLE REASON COULD YOU HAVE TO BE ANGRY WITH US?!" Rainbow Dash shouted at the top of her lungs.

"I DIDN'T TRY TO KILL YOU! I WAS BECOMING A DIFFERENT CREATURE! MY DNA, THE LITERAL FIBER OF WHO I WAS, WAS TWISTED INTO SOMETHING ELSE! AND WHERE WERE YOU, HUH?! WHERE WERE ANY OF YOU?! I WAS SLOWLY GOING INSANE, AND MY FRIENDS WEREN'T EVEN AROUND TO HELP ME!" Twilight screamed back.

"YOU THREATENED US! WHAT WERE WE SUPPOSED TO DO?! WE THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO HURT US! YOU DID HURT US! WHAT ABOUT AJ'S FAMILY, HUH?! YOU THREATENED TO HURT THEM!" Rainbow dash exclaimed.

"OH, PLEASE! I WAS A MARE WHO COULDN'T EVEN LEAVE MY HOUSE DURING THE DAYLIGHT FOR FEAR OF BEING FOUND OUT! THERE WAS PLENTY OF TIME FOR YOU ALL TO DO SOMETHING! THE ONLY THING STOPPING YOU FROM COMING IN WAS A RENOVATIONS SIGN ON THE DOOR! YOU COULD HAVE COME IN AND SEEN THE STATE I WAS IN, BUT YOU DIDN'T! NONE OF YOU DID, AND YOU HAD THE AUDACITY TO CALL YOURSELVES MY FRIENDS!" Twilight retorted.

"MAKE UP ALL THE EXCUSES YOU WANT, BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS YOU HURT US! AND WHILE YOU WERE TAKING A DIRTNAP, THE REST OF US HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS NIGHTMARE THAT YOU PUT US THROUGH! IT'S NOT LIKE YOU SUFFERED AFTER YOU KICKED THE BUCKET, BUT WE DID AND WE STILL ARE THANKS TO YOU!" The rainbow-maned mare screamed.

"I DID SUFFER! MORE THAN YOU KNOW!" Twilight shouted turning away from the face of her former friend.

With that statement, the argument stopped. Twilight started openly sobbing, as the rest of the ponies stood up and made their way over to Twilight. Even Fluttershy's fear had extinguished at the unicorn's statement.

"What do you mean, Twilight Sparkle?" Princess Luna inquired.

"Do I really have to spell it out for you?" Twilight asked rhetorically, sniffling between words.

"Twi?" Applejack said as she put a hoof on her former friend's shoulder.

"I was the disembodied spirit of an insane hybrid monster who hurt her friends and tortured another pony! Where did you think I went?! Magical happy land?!"

Everyone's eyes went wide. They exchanged worried looks as Princess Luna spoke up again.

"Twilight. Where did you go when you died?" She asked quietly.

"I…I…I WAS SENT TO TARTARUS!" The unicorn exploded, as she turned to hug Applejack.

Applejack could not help but return the embrace, especially after such a statement. Twilight continued as her emotions flowed freely.

"The…the demons chased me… all the time, and when they would corner me, they would rip me apart. It… it was like having all four of your hooves ripped off of your body, but…you can't die…you…you're already dead. Everything just grows back for them to do it again, over and over and over. I wished for the pain to stop, but there was no release, no mercy for me. They…they enjoyed watching me suffer," she stammered through her tears.

Suddenly, she remembered her anger as she pushed Applejack off her.

"So don't you dare say that I didn't pay for the bad decision I made! I paid more dearly than any of you could imagine!" She seethed as she slowly made her way out of the room.

There was silence. Not even Princess Luna made an attempt to stop Twilight from leaving. She needed to talk to her sister about this.

"Today's session is over. Please go back to your quarters and rest," Princess Luna said in soft tone.

The remaining elements obeyed as they slowly made their way to their rooms, none of them saying a word or making eye contact as they did.

She had been tossing and turning for hours. It had been a whole day since the group meeting with her former friends. She was still angry with them, but now something else was wrong. She wasn't sure if it was the anger at first, but she couldn't fall asleep no matter what she did. She felt electrified, with energy surging through her. Normally she would enjoy such a sensation. Extra energy meant that she could get more studying done. The feelings pulsing through her loins however, made it rather difficult to concentrate. She moaned and bit her lip as she tried to think about something else, but these urges were driving her crazy. She had tried to use her ability to examine and quantify to understand what she was feeling, but she was having trouble describing it to herself. She wanted to "win" was the best way she could put it. She wanted to dominate. To control, and then be satisfied. After hours of craving release, she finally decided on a course of action, albeit made under a state of such duress, it was hardly pondered for very long. She didn't care, though. She needed what she needed and right now quelling the fire in her nether regions was of paramount importance. She quickly got out of bed and raced down the dark halls of the palace.

Rarity woke up to thunderous knocking. She stirred slowly, making her way to the door.

'_It's 2AM! Who in Equestria could that be?!"_ She thought to herself as she opened the door.

Her eyes narrowed, as she shook off any excess tiredness she felt at the sight of the unicorn before her. Even after Twilight's admissions at the meeting, Rarity still did not come anywhere close to forgiving her former friend.

"What do you want, Twilight?!" The unicorn spat.

Her answer came in the form of a hoof striking flat against her muzzle sending her tumbling into her bedpost. She quickly shook off the cobwebs, and gazed at the doorway in surprise. She had no idea Twilight was that strong. The former element of magic slowly entered the room and closed the door behind her, as she offered an answer to Rarity's question while wearing a twisted smile on her face.

"Round two."

Hey everyone! Sorry this chapter is so late. I'm from the northeast and I've been dealing with Hurricane Sandy for awhile. Everything is pretty much back to normal for me, and I'm grateful and lucky for that. A lot of other people are still reeling from the aftermath up here. Anyway, I hope you enjoy, and let me know what you think!


	6. Chapter 6

Twilight stood facing her fellow unicorn with a devilish grin on her face. Rarity just stared back at her former friend in disbelief. The fashion expert got to her hooves quickly, trying to comprehend what had just occurred. One moment she was standing in front of Twilight Sparkle, asking her what she wanted, and the next moment, she was slumped against her bedpost with a sharp pain in her muzzle. She hadn't even seen Twilight move.

"What do you mean, 'round two?' Leave my room at once!" She demanded.

"One moment," Twilight stated flatly.

The purple unicorn activated her magic once again, surrounding the inside of the room with an aura. Rarity recognized the spell as the one she used the night that she went to "visit" Twilight. Once the soundproofing spell was complete, Twilight turned to face her former friend again.

"I'm sorry, were you saying something?" She asked in a mocking tone.

"Get out of my room this instant!" Rarity shouted.

"Make me!" Twilight retorted snidely as she took a step forward.

Rarity's eyes narrowed as she took a low stance. She had not been prepared to get into a fight in the wee hours of the morning, but her blood boiled with rage. Any grogginess or tiredness she felt melted away at the sight of Twilight's arrogant smile. She was fully awake, almost trembling in anger as she took a low stance.

"Are you sure you want to go through with this? You do remember last time, don't you?" Rarity seethed.

"Oh, you mean when you surprised me, and I let myself get beaten up out of a misplaced sense of guilt? I do, as a matter of fact! Let's see how you do in a fair fight! No surprises and no magic! Just you and me! That is, of course, unless you're scared!" Twilight yelled.

Rarity stomped her hoof at the accusation as she held her ground. She couldn't believe that she had actually felt regret over her previous actions. She spent so much time mulling over the incident that occurred the night Twilight mysteriously came back. The unicorn had spent almost that entire night in the shower. She kept washing herself over and over in a vain attempt to metaphorically scrub away the deed. She kept questioning whether she had made the right decision, or if she instead had a massive lapse in judgment when she committed the act of beating Twilight Sparkle to within an inch of her life. Any doubts the unicorn had about what she did that night disappeared as she looked into Twilight's eyes, seeing nothing but superciliousness. Twilight's apparent over-confidence sickened her.

"Me? Scared? Hardly! I agree to your terms, if only to get this over with faster!" Rarity screamed, as she galloped forward trying to surprise her former friend.

Twilight's smile only widened as she quickly sidestepped the unicorn, extending her back leg, tripping her opponent. Rarity grunted as she landed face first against the door. The seamstress got up, not wasting any time. She turned to face her aggressor once again. She could feel a small trickle of blood leave her nose, and drip to the floor.

"Come on, Rarity, you can do better than that, can't you?" Twilight taunted evilly.

Rarity had never been angrier in her life. She hated being mocked, especially by a former friend. Even though she herself had the reputation of being opinionated, she despised outright arrogance, and right now, Twilight Sparkle was the most arrogant being she had ever come across. She did not think it was possible to become more enraged than she already was, but Twilight's snide inquiry sent her over the edge. She saw red as she charged her fellow unicorn once again. She let out a battle cry that would have made a royal guard proud. However, instead of sidestepping, Twilight raised her right hoof and struck the indigo-maned mare across the face. She could see Rarity's eyes widen with surprise. To Twilight, the fashion expert's attacks moved in slow motion. Rarity crashed to the ground, grunting at the sharp pain now in her cheek. Twilight stood above her, smiling wickedly, her pride growing with each passing second. She bent her neck, using her teeth to take hold of her fellow unicorn's mane, and flung her across the room. Rarity screamed as her back smashed against the wall, her body crumpling to the ground in a heap. Twilight slowly stalked towards her former friend. She clearly outclassed the fashion expert and decided to savor the moment.

"Oh, are you alright, Rarity? That was quite a tumble you just took," Twilight remarked sarcastically.

Rarity just groaned as she tried desperately to get to her hooves. Her vision as well as her mind began to blur as she attempted to find her bearings. Before she could regain her composure, however, Twilight once again took her mane in her teeth, and forced the fashion expert to her hooves, slamming her back against the wall a second time with a sickening thud. She could have just let her drop. It would have been so easy to let the fight end right there. However, Rarity had taken something from her during their first encounter. She had stolen Twilight's dignity. Rarity had reduced her to a begging, mewling mess, and she was here to return the favor. Before Rarity could collapse, Twilight brought her left hoof up. Turning it to the side, she pressed the flat end against the unicorn's neck, causing Rarity to let out a guttural croak. The unicorn felt her back hooves begin to leave the ground. She tried to push on Twilight's leg, but it was no use.

'_H…How could she have gotten so…strong?!'_ Rarity thought to herself, her back hooves barely touching the floor beneath her.

The unicorn was almost dangling, as she was held against the wall. She squirmed and kicked, but the pressure on her neck was too much, and her attacks were much too weak to cause any real damage. Twilight smiled as she reared back her right hoof slowly. She wanted to take her time, soaking up every moment of the experience. In a flash, she lashed out her hoof striking Rarity in the stomach, causing a terrible thumping noise. Rarity tried to scream but could only choke as the wind left her lungs. Twilight became fascinated with the reaction, and swiftly struck again, her hoof entering her fellow unicorn's soft belly. Rarity struggled valiantly, but she was beginning to weaken. After two more thunderous blows to her midriff, Twilight allowed her would be rival to crash to the floor again. Rarity coughed and choked, struggling to catch her breath, as she attempted to crawl away from her attacker.

"Oh no you don't! You're not getting away that easy!" Twilight hissed.

The purple unicorn struck Rarity's side with her front hoof, knocking the mare onto her back. Before she could react, the former element of magic straddled her, pinning her front hooves at an upward angle. Rarity resisted fiercely as she squirmed beneath Twilight's grasp. Suddenly, she felt a searing pain as Twilight used her hind legs to force Rarity's knees to the ground, spreading her legs apart. Rarity wasn't flexible; at least not that much and she could feel the muscles in her groin begin to pull unnaturally. Twilight's smile grew as she saw her former friend wince in pain. She was winning. This was part of the sensation the purple unicorn's body demanded of her. She wanted more, however. As she searched her mind for any information from old pony biology books she read in the past, she giggled as the answer came to her. With one swift motion, Twilight lifted her right back knee off Rarity's pinned leg and slammed the appendage into her former friend's marehood. The reaction was unlike any she had ever seen or heard from a pony before. Rarity's eyes widened and she let out a loud, otherworldly scream, as her hind legs tried to come together. Twilight was too quick, however, and before the fashion experts legs could close, Twilight held them open with her back hooves.

"What's the MATTER, Rarity? Am I too MUCH for you?" Twilight asked as each inflection brought another strike to her fellow unicorn's nether regions.

Rarity screamed at the top of her lungs as she took each hit, unable to recoil for even a little relief. Each blow weakened her greatly, as the fight started to leave her body. With a few more strikes, her screams turned to sobs, and her squirming began to cease. Twilight sensed that the end was near for her former friend.

"Do you give up?" Twilight whispered in her fellow unicorn's ear.

"N-No!" Rarity shouted defiantly.

Another quick blow between her hind legs had her seeing stars, as Twilight spoke up again.

"How about now? Do you give up?"

"I…I…" Rarity stammered before another blow sent a howl of pain from her throat.

"Say it!" Twilight hissed.

"I GIVE UP, I give up, please, please…" Rarity cried out, tears streaming down her face.

"I'm sorry, could you say that again? I had trouble hearing you over your incessant whimpering," Twilight asked mockingly.

Rarity looked up into her former friend's eyes. She had lost. Twilight had soundly defeated her, and without breaking a sweat. She was humiliated, her spirit broken. She had no other choice but to once again announce her submission.

"I…I give up! Pl…Please, Twilight, please don't hurt me anymore, I surrender!" She stammered out between sniffles and hard breaths.

Twilight closed her eyes, as she arched her back, still keeping Rarity in place. Her ears took in the words her fellow unicorn just spoke. Victory. It was the sweetest nectar she had ever tasted. Her smile widened, confidence bursting forth like a river through a dam. The feeling became a part of her like the very blood flowing through her veins. She didn't want the feeling to stop.

"Who is the better unicorn?" She asked.

"You are," Rarity offered without hesitation.

"And who is better with magic?" Twilight inquired.

"You are," her former friend cried.

Over the next few minutes, Twilight rattled off more questions for Rarity to answer. It was as though joy itself was underneath her hooves telling her how great she was.

"And who is the better mare? Princess Celestia's student whispered.

For the first time since the exchange began, there was silence. Rarity hesitated at answering the question. Twilight was enjoying herself to much to let such hesitation slide. She decided to use the move that won her the fight once again. She brought her knee up between Rarity's crotch, eliciting another scream from the seamstress.

"And WHO is the better mare?!" Twilight bellowed, kneeing her former friend again.

"GAAHH, YOU ARE, YOU ARE! Oh, please, Twilight, please stop hitting me! I've had enough! You win! I submit!" Rarity blubbered in between tears.

'_Submit.' _

The word echoed through the now concretely triumphant unicorn's mind. Whatever doubts were still in the air about who was in control of the situation, they dissolved after that last statement. Rarity's submission was total and complete, and they both knew it. What came next? Twilight had never been in a position like this before. All she knew was Rarity's words and their recent actions excited her. It reminded her of science in a way. The one thing in science she had always loved was experimentation. The stage in which after everything was set up, she could begin her manipulations of whatever chemicals she had made ready. Underneath her hooves was a mare that was hers. She could do whatever she wanted to her, and no one would know. The thought should have terrified her, but instead it excited her. Having only science as a reference point, she began treating Rarity like a test subject. She took her right front hoof and gently poked the seamstress's cheek where she had delivered a knockdown blow. Rarity just lay there, wincing as the hoof made contact with her wound. She dared not move, lest she anger her conqueror. The response fascinated Twilight. She did it again, getting the same result. What else could she do? How far could she go? Twilight's mind raced. A plethora of thoughts filled her brain as she started down at the beautiful mare.

'_Beautiful.'_

Another word that echoed through her head. It astonished her, really. Even in this state, Rarity still maintained her beauty. From the time they first met, Twilight had always admired Rarity's looks. She wasn't really jealous, but she would admit to being just a tad envious. She always looked perfect. Her mane, her coat, even her hooves exuded nothing but pure grace. Now here she was, underneath the dark-coated unicorn. She had never looked so gorgeous. Whatever modicum of rational thinking or reason Twilight had left vanished, as the thought of Rarity's exquisiteness took over her mind.

"You know, Rarity, I have to say, you really do amaze me. Even pathetic and beaten under my hooves, you're still so pretty," she whispered.

Rarity's eyes widened at the statement. Where was she going with this? She didn't know what to expect, but she did know that anything less than total obedience would only cause her more pain. She decided to keep silent, only responding to direct questions. Twilight just stared into her azure eyes, not saying a word. What was going through her head? Twilight licked her lips. One portion of the night had been satisfied. It was time that the victor of the contest attends to her next order of business. She hadn't expected to feel this way so soon, but she couldn't wait any longer. Rarity's beauty coupled with her words of submission sent Twilight's libido into a frenzy. Rarity's eyes widened as the unthinkable happened.

Twilight kissed her.

She moaned with delight and passion as she forced her tongue down her defeated rival's throat. Rarity's eyes widened again, as she groaned in a feeble protest. She was too weak to do anything about it, however. She ached all over, and was in so much pain, she couldn't even use her magic. The conquered unicorn whimpered at the force of Twilight's kiss. She was being smothered as Princess Celestia's pupil explored her mouth. Without warning, the victorious mare broke the kiss and began to nibble on her former friend's neck. Rarity was forced to tilt her head to the side as she felt Twilight's teeth cut into her skin and fur surely leaving marks. Each bite lacked any tenderness whatsoever. Twilight was like a hungry wolf devouring a fresh kill, and there was nothing Rarity could do about it. Minutes passed as Twilight continued the ravaging assault. The defeated unicorn winced and whimpered every few moments as the kisses increased in power. She could not believe it. Twilight was having her way with her.

'_How…how could she do this to me?! W…We were best friends!'_ Rarity's mind screamed as she accepted the assault obediently.

Suddenly, Twilight stopped, licking Rarity's ear. She began to whisper.

"You are mine tonight, and I'm going to do whatever I want to you. If you try to resist, I will hurt you more. Do you understand?" She whispered coldly to her fellow unicorn.

Rarity was shaking. She had never been more scared in her life. What was she going to do to her? She hoped and prayed as hard as she could to be anywhere else, but she knew it was fruitless. She answered quickly, not wanting to anger the former element of magic.

"Yes," she whispered back.

"Not good enough, Rarity. I want you to say it. I want you to say that you will do anything I want," Twilight whispered again.

Rarity gulped before complying, "I…I will do anything you want, Twilight."

Twilight breathed deeply and smiled. She had never felt like this before. She felt so alive, so invigorated, by all the words of submission. After being in a place where time stood still and hideous creatures took away her freedom and hurt her repeatedly without remorse, her soul felt revitalized by being in control of someone else. No one would ever control her fate again. From now on, she would be the one in control-the dominant force. She wouldn't be weak or comply with the requests of those who were. They would comply with hers. She would say that she finally felt like herself again, but that wouldn't be true. She felt better than herself. She would take what she wanted, just as the demons did. When she came back, those who she cared about the most, those who she longed to have even a glimpse of, as she was being torn apart over and over, had treated her like a piece of garbage. Who were they? They weren't perfect, anything but! She had accepted them, she had depended on them, and they let her down. Twilight knew she played her part in this, and she was punished for it. Now it was their turn. Her loins began to ache again as she stared at the beautiful unicorn under her. Rarity couldn't even look her in the eye, not that it mattered. Twilight kept their bodies in contact as she used her front hooves to pull herself, sliding her body against Rarity's.

'_Wh…What is she doing?!' _Rarity thought to herself as her muzzled slid against Twilight's stomach.

The purple unicorn quickly hooked her hind legs underneath Rarity's front legs, pitching herself forward. Rarity shuttered at the sight of Twilight's marehood above her. It then dawned on her what her former friend was about to do.

"Tw…Twilight, please stop! Please don't make me do this, I'm begging you!" Rarity stammered.

The seamstress looked up at her former friend. Twilight just gave her an unfeeling stare. The beaten unicorn looked deeply into her eyes, and saw nothing. They were black as night. Whatever spark of light, of decency Twilight Sparkle once had was gone. She was like a wild animal from the Everfree Forest. No morality, no compassion or respect. Just a machine made of flesh operating with a twisted pathos.

"To the victor go the spoils, Rarity. Now, satisfy me," Twilight stated, her voice as cold as ice.

Rarity hesitated. She wouldn't do this. She couldn't do this. Twilight spoke up again, with an emotionless voice.

"You don't want me to hurt you again. Do you?" The conquering unicorn whispered.

Rarity shook her head softly but quickly, whimpering as she did.

There were no more words spoken. Twilight lowered herself onto Rarity's muzzle slowly. There was nothing she could do. The fashion designer had no choice but to comply with the winner's sick demands. She wanted it to be over. She wanted Twilight to leave her alone, but it was clear what she sought. Although it made her sick to her already bruised stomach, she obeyed the given command as her tongue left her mouth and entered her former best friend.

Twilight gasped in ecstasy, as she arched her back. Her hindquarters began to move in motion with Rarity's servicing. It did not take her long to climax in the state she was in, and soon she lifted herself off her vanquished foe. She stood in the dark room, breathing heavily, as she started down at her would be rival. Rarity was taking in gulps of air herself, but she hadn't moved. She wouldn't dare. She was completely subservient. A grin appeared on Twilight's face as she slowly walked over to the fashion designer, placing a hoof on her chest as a symbol of her victory.

"I always knew you had a talented tongue, Rarity. As good as that was, though, it's no substitute for the real thing. What to do, what to do…" She pondered.

Rarity was visibly trembling. It was like a nightmare that she couldn't wake up from. She wanted to scream. She wanted to run, but her body and her fear wouldn't let her. She turned her head away from the unicorn whose hoof was solidly planted on her chest. She couldn't bear to look at her, and she hadn't even heard what Twilight said. Twilight was in need of some inspiration, and she found it when she looked at the curtains that framed the bed in the posh domicile. As she looked closer, she found what she was looking for.

Rope.

Smiling, she activated her magic and untied the ropes that held the curtains in place. Finding a decorative couch, which was in the corner of the room, she used her magic to lift the beaten unicorn and throw her back first onto the ornate seat. Rarity groaned as her aching form slammed into the couch. Even the cushioned piece of furniture offered little leeway since her body was in such a tender state. Twilight wasted no time in tying Rarity to the couch. She hooked her front hooves behind the back of the plush seat and used the limited rope available to secure her back hooves with her front lining each of them up respectively. She giggled as she finished the knot that attached the right front hoof to the right back hoof. Rarity winced as her back arched from the unnatural position she was being forced into. Celestia's prized student made her way to the front of the couch to admire her handiwork. All of Rarity's legs were tied together, forcing her belly and chest forward. Her head just hung there as she sniffled lightly. Twilight brought a hoof to her chin lifting the defeated mare's face. Rarity kept her eyes shut tightly. She couldn't look; she was too scared as she shuddered at Twilight's touch. The darker coated unicorn leaned in and began to whisper.

"I think I know exactly how to end our time together this evening. I'm going to find that stallion you fancy. I'm going to bring him back here. He and I are going to make love, while you watch. Do you understand?" Twilight said.

Rarity found new energy as she forgot about her pain. She began to protest, but was quickly silenced as a hoof stuck her horn causing her to scream again. Before she could recover, she found a rope quickly tied itself around her mouth. She grunted wildly trying to speak through the rope, but it was no use. Twilight's final blow had caused too much pain in her horn, as she struggled in vain to activate her power.

"I can't have you using your magic before I get back, now can I?" Twilight said playfully.

As the stallion marched down the dark corridor, he had to stay focused. It took all of his self-control to remain professional, and not break into a mad gallop towards his lover's quarters. Finishing his rounds in the other hallways, he was convinced that everything was secure. Even though he was on the night watch, he still took his duties seriously. If the past was any indication, Equestria could find threats in not so obvious places. Therefore, it was every soldier's duty to keep a watchful eye for anything out of the ordinary. There were times when it became difficult to keep from getting complacent. The invasion had changes that, however. As much as he liked to muse on the past, he was somewhat preoccupied now. He could not help but let out a small smile knowing that each step lead to a night of passion with the most beautiful mare he had ever laid eyes on. At first, he couldn't believe that a mare as captivating as her would even look at him twice. By now, however, a true love affair had begun to blossom.

'_I can't help but wonder what she meant last time when she said 'experimentation,''_ The armored stallion thought to himself as his smile grew wider.

Turning the corner, he heard a door close, ever so quietly. His training kicked in as he reverted to his assigned duty. He quickened his pace as he was about to announce his presence. He came to an abrupt halt, as he eyed the mare now in front of him.

"Ms. Sparkle? Is everything alright?" He asked in a curious tone.

Twilight had just finished closing the door, as she turned to him with a sultry grin on her face.

"It is… Now that you're here," she whispered suggestively.

The stallion only had a moment to eye her curiously before the dark-coated unicorn's horn started to glow. Before he could react, a spell hit him, as his mind went blank. Twilight smiled as the "Want It, Need It" Spell took effect. The Royal Guard's eyes glazed over as his lips curled into an inane smile. Twilight leaned in kissing the stallion passionately. She quickly broke the kiss and began whispering in his ear.

"Mmm, you taste delicious. Now, come with me… Sir," she purred.

Twilight turned back around and opened the door trotting in with the soldier right behind her obediently. Rarity just let her head hang, not noticing the new arrival.

"Get on the bed, sweetie. I'll just be a moment," Twilight ordered.

The stallion complied quickly, jumping on the bed and turning to face his master. He waited patiently a giddy smile still plastered on his face. Twilight activated her magic, moving the couch her prisoner was secured to over to the foot of the bed. Princess Celestia's student nudged Rarity's face roughly, as she began to come to. She muffled her protest as her eyes finally opened. They began to water at the sight of Twilight's wicked grin in front of her once again.

"Guess who I found right outside your door, Rarity? It looks like your stallion was about surprise you. Oh well. I hate to disappoint such a handsome guard, but I think I'll be able to make it up to him. After all, I am the better mare, aren't I?" She asked in an authoritative tone.

Rarity's eyes stung with a mixture of tears and hatred. She was powerless to stop what she knew was about to happen. She knew Twilight couldn't keep her here indefinitely. Once she was safe again, she would go straight to one of the Princesses. For now though, she was at a loss. Her fellow unicorn would force her to watch the sick show, with no recourse. Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain in her belly, and as her head pitched forward, she came face to face with Twilight's right hoof buried in her soft flesh. She let out a small yelp as her conqueror pushed her hoof harder into her stomach.

"I am the better mare, aren't I Rarity? Answer me when I'm speaking to you!" Twilight barked.

Rarity complied as she shook her head up and down indicating a 'yes.' Twilight continued as she took her hoof from her former friend's midriff and placed it under her chin, lifting her face.

"Now I'm going to show you how the better mare pleases a stallion. I'd tell you to take notes, but you seem a little…tied up at the moment," she whispered to her would be rival.

Twilight turned around and tackled the stallion, bringing her mouth to his. As the lovemaking began between the two, all Rarity could do was sit and watch, the moonlight shining through the ornate windows, illuminating the lustful dance of the winner and her prize.

"BUT AH WANNA COME WITH YOU!" Applebloom screamed, as her tantrum continued. Big Mac rolled his eyes and sighed as he brought his large hoof to his face covering it. He was beginning to tire of this. Every week, without fail, Applebloom would argue, pout, and use any other means she could think of to tag along with her big brother on his trips to Canterlot. He explained to her repeatedly, that her sister was ill and needed help, and that she was too young for him to delve any deeper into why their sister wouldn't be around for a while. Stubbornness certainly ran deep in the Apple family, and the filly was no exception. He thought he just had to keep telling her 'no,' that eventually she would tire of the constant arguments, and would just accept it as a part of their life right now. Each week, however brought a renewed energy to the bow-haired youngster, as she would come just up to the line of literally throwing herself on the floor, kicking and screaming. The stallion's patience was starting to wear thin.

'_Ah wonder if Sweetie Belle's parents have to go through this with her,'_ he mused as he approached the angry filly.

He had tried so hard to protect her. When the princess and Applejack explained the things they saw, even he became disturbed. He knew there was no way he could give his little sister the gory details of what happened that night, but he was running out of ways to make these arguments stop. He had talked to her, made up excuses, threatened her with punishments, and had even came though on those threats, as he had grounded her more than a few times. Each time they backfired horribly, as all they did was increase the tension in the already apprehensive household. He needed a different tactic. He would have to tell her the truth without telling her the truth. It was a fine line that he had been trying to avoid even approaching, but his sister's unwavering resolve to see their sister finally brought the situation to a head. He admired it, in a way. He knew that the siblings had a strong relationship, and he was proud of the fact that Applebloom would move Equestria itself just to make sure her big sister was alright. If she just wasn't so young.

"Applebloom, come here and sit with me a minute. Please?" The farmer asked.

The filly complied as her gaze softened. Her brother had asked her so tenderly that she could not begrudge him his request. After sitting down next to him under the shade of one of the many trees in the orchard, Big Mac put his saddlebag on the ground and sighed as he continued.

"Applebloom, do you know what the word 'traumatized' means?" He asked delicately.

The youngster thought for a moment. Vocabulary wasn't her best subject. Finally, she shook her head advising her brother that she didn't know what the word meant. His tone however, made her quite curious as to where he was going with this.

"When somepony is traumatized, it means that something happened to them that was so… horrible… that it…it changed who they are inside. That's what happened to your sister, Applebloom. She… she saw something so bad…so terrifying…that it's hurt who she is… inside. Ah'm… Look, Ah know yer worried about Applejack. And Ah'm proud of you that you are. It shows character that ya wanna look after yer family like that. But ya gotta understand. Ah'm just trying to protect you. Ah already have one sister traumatized. A'h… A'h just don't know what Ah'd do if the same thing happened to you. 'Cause yer mah sister…and Ah love you," he said.

He closed his eyes tightly as he thought of Applejack, and everything that she's gone though. The nightmares, the cold sweats, barely being able to talk about what happened without bursting into tears, starving herself because the mere sight of food made her want to vomit. He opened his eyes again when he heard soft sniffling coming from his side. He looked down at his little sister. She was crying. Not the over exaggerated wails from before. These were honest and quiet tears.

"Ah'm…Ah'm so sorry, Big Mac! Ah'm just so worried about AJ and here Ah am makin' things harder on you! Ah'm sorry!" She cried as she hugged her big brother tightly.

Big Mac reciprocated the hug, embracing his youngest sibling. He let her cry for a few minutes before pulling away and speaking up again.

"It's alright Applebloom. Ah know yer worried, and when yer older, we'll tell you everything, Ah promise. But fer now, ya gotta trust ol' Big Mac, ok?" He whispered.

She nodded, as she wiped the tears from her face and smiled. After a few moments of silence, Big Mac was satisfied that the tantrums would cease, at least for the rest of the day. He would be traveling to Canterlot in the morning, and he hated parting with his youngest sister on such bad terms. He stood up, nuzzling his sibling softly, before taking to the fields again to get some more work done. Applebloom just stood there watching her brother trot away. She had felt horrible for hurting him like that. How could she be so selfish? She kept saying that she was worried about Applejack, and she was, but deep down, what made it so frustrating was the fact that no one would tell her anything. She felt insulted and angry at the same time. She knew she needed answers, and that she couldn't ask her brother for them anymore. She had hurt him too much with her actions. Maybe her fellow Cutie Mark Crusaders would have some ideas. She gasped as she suddenly remembered there was a club meeting scheduled for today. Taking off as fast as she could to the tree house, she started to think of ideas she could share. It didn't take her long to get to their makeshift clubhouse. As she walked in slowly, she took in the sight of an uninterested Sweetie Belle sitting in the corner, staring off into space. A worried look crossed Applebloom's face as she made her way over to her friend.

"Um…Hi, Sweetie Belle. Everything ok?" She asked tentatively.

The unicorn filly just let out a huge sigh as she turned to face her friend. Things had been hard on her as well. Her parents seemed indifferent to the whole thing. It was as though they either couldn't or wouldn't comprehend how devastating the events were that sent Rarity to live in Canterlot so that she could "heal." Her father and mother went through their normal routines as though nothing had happened. Whenever Sweetie Belle would try to bring up the subject, her parents flat out ignored their daughter's inquiries. It infuriated her. She had delusions about her age. She knew that she was just a child, and that parents often hush children when they do not want to discuss certain issues. What hurt Sweetie Belle the most was the fact that she couldn't tell if they were honestly naive to the situation or if they were just trying to protect her from something. Either way, Sweetie Belle wanted answers. The rest of the town was no help. She had tried to bring it up at school once, and Miss Cheerilee had almost given her a week's detention just for mentioning it in class. The Cakes were just as bad, completely ignoring any questions raised regarding Pinkie Pie and her friends. Didn't anyone understand? This was her sister! She was searching for the truth, and no one would help her. It made her feel sad and helpless. At least with her friends, she didn't have to go through this alone. When she saw Applebloom's face, she knew that she was feeling the same thing.

"Applebloom, I don't know how much more of this I can take! It's been months, and my parents still won't tell me anything! How about you? Have you had any luck with your brother? He's still going to Canterlot once a week to see Applejack, right?" She asked in a hope filled voice.

The farm filly's head just drooped as she shut her eyes. Sweetie Belle was at her side immediately, and put her hoof on her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her.

"Ah…Ah can't ask mah brother anymore, Sweetie Belle. Ah think Ah hurt him with all the yellin' and screamin' Ah've been doin'. Ah think we are gonna need to find another way to get information on what happened," She said dejectedly.

"But how do we do that? It's not like we can just hop on a train to Canterlot!" The young unicorn said in a discouraged tone.

They both sat in silence for a few minutes, trying to think of a way to gather more intelligence on the situation. They were stumped. How were they ever going to find out anything if no one would talk to them? To Applebloom, the task ahead was clear. They needed to find someone who would be willing to share the story with them. Obviously, a firsthand account was out of the question, since their sisters and their sisters friends were all in Canterlot receiving some sort of treatment. Who could they find? Applebloom thought hard, going over every little thing she'd heard about the incident. There wasn't much, just what she was able to pick up in whispers. She remembered a pony talking about another pony that was there that night. It was said that she suffered a horrific injury. The pony didn't go on, as she was visibly disturbed by said wound. Although it scared her to think about it, her desire for answers about her sister outweighed her trepidation. She closed her eyes, trying to place her mind back at that scene where she overheard the conversation. She suddenly remembered a name mentioned. Before she could speak up, however, Scootaloo burst into the clubhouse excitedly.

"Hey guys! Guess what?! A travelling carnival is coming to Appleloosa! Applebloom, isn't that where your cousin lives? Maybe we can go there to visit and take in the carnival! What do you girls think?" The small pegasus asked excitedly.

Scootaloo had a rough time at the beginning of the whole ordeal. At first, she thought that Rainbow Dash had gone with her friends to Canterlot, just to make sure they were alright after the incident. She didn't think there was anything in the world that could hurt her fearless mentor. After a conversation with Big Mac, however, her perspective changed. The stallion had confirmed that Rainbow Dash was receiving treatment just like the other elements of harmony. It was a devastating fact for the young flyer, but she got over it quickly. As much as she admired Rainbow Dash, she was her idol, not her sister. She wasn't blood like Applejack and Rarity were to Applebloom and Sweetie Belle. Therefore she made it her mission to do the only thing she could. She attempted to cheer her friends up at any turn. It rarely worked, but she wouldn't give up. After all, if she did, what would Rainbow Dash think?

"Ah'm sorry, Scoots, but we need to find out more about what happened to our sisters. This is no time to be thinkin' about a silly carnival!" Applebloom answered with a scowl.

Undaunted, the young pegasus trotted forward, laying out the pamphlet in front of her fellow crusaders. There were write-ups and pictures spread along the sheets.

"Oh, come on! The two of you have been so down in the dumps, it's about time you we got out there and had some fun for a change! Just look! There's going to be games, food, prizes, and a show with the terrifying, the scary, the shocking… Three Legged Monster Pony!" Scootaloo exclaimed in the most dramatic voice she could muster.

Applebloom and Sweetie Belle sighed inwardly as they both looked at the brochure, if anything just to placate their friend. What Applebloom found, however, caused her eyes to widen. In one of the pictures was the so-called "Three Legged Monster Pony."

She looked closer as she studied the "monster's" cutie mark. Suddenly, a flood of memories came back to her, as she vividly remembered the conversation she had overheard a few months ago. The name of the mystery pony came to her instantly, echoing through her mind. She looked up from the pamphlet with a look of renewed hope on her face, which confused her friends. They got even more curious at the name she uttered just above a whisper.

"Trixie."

Hi Everyone! I hope everyone is having a great holiday! So, another chapter in the books. I hope everyone enjoys it. Please let me know what you think!


	7. Chapter 7

'_4:30AM,' _Twilight thought to herself as she stared at the clock on the wall.

The room was still dark, only illuminated slightly by Luna's moon. The only sound she could hear was the quiet snoring of her prisoner and the stallion that lay next to her on the posh bed. Her lips curled in a smile as she managed to stifle a giggle. The last few hours were wonderful. Rarity's lover had more than satisfied her, even though he was exhausted. She thought perhaps that she had pushed him too far, but quickly dismissed the thought. After all, he was a Royal Guard of Princess Celestia. He was young. Strong. Virile. Everything she had needed at that moment. What surprised her the most was how still Rarity was though the whole thing. She never made a sound. She just sat there and watched. Occasionally, Twilight would flash her former friend a smile just to show the unicorn how good of a time she was having. She was met with a glare that did nothing more than encourage her. She was in control, regardless of the fashion designer's incessant scowling.

'_I could do more. I want to do more, but it is getting late…or early rather. I should probably get back to my room soon. It'll be time to head on up to see Spike in a little while,' _Twilight thought to herself as she got to her hooves.

She walked over to her fellow unicorn and used her magic to undo her bonds. Rarity moaned as she crumpled to the ground. Her joints were sore from being in such an awkward position for so long. A small whimper escaped her throat as she tried to get up, only to wince in pain. Twilight had to suppress another chuckle. After the beating Rarity gave her when she first came back, the fashion expert's current pain left Twilight with a sense of contentment. As much as she would have liked to muse on these thoughts, however, it was time make her exit. She just needed to do a few things before she left.

"Let's get you cleaned up, shall we?" The former element of magic whispered as she lifted Rarity in the air towards the bathroom.

Rarity was awake by now, but too bleary eyed and sore to move. Once entering the ornate bathroom, Twilight closed the door quietly. Using her magic, she turned on the shower, waiting for the water to become hot. After a minute or so, steam began to fill the room, as she levitated Rarity's beaten form into the tub before them. Twilight watched as the water cascaded down her former friend's body and mane. She used her magic to undo the rope around the fashion expert's mouth. As much as she hated her, she didn't want her to drown. Just like before, Rarity didn't move. The more awake she became the more existent the memories of the last few hours became. She shuddered, a combination of her thoughts and the brush that gently scrubbed her coat and mane. They didn't say a word to each other, as Twilight cleaned her like an unruly child in need of bathing. Rarity closed her eyes tightly as she wished with all her might to be anywhere but where she was right now. Satisfied with her fellow unicorn's more rejuvenated look, Princess Celestia's student activated her magic again, lifting a towel over to them, using it to dry her former friend slowly yet gently. Rarity felt herself lifted from her position again. She couldn't move, regardless of the magic. Her joints were so stiff that she could barely stand in the tub. As they made their way gingerly back to the bed, Twilight walked slowly, being careful not to wake the sleeping stallion. Not that she was worried, really. After the romp they had, it would take a thundercloud going off right next to his ear to wake him. She placed Rarity in the bed on her side, facing her lover. The action would have confused the fashion expert if her mind hadn't already been racing with questions. What came next? Was this inescapable nightmare finally over? Would Twilight let her go? She just stared at the back of the sleeping stallion's head as she felt the bed move slightly. She felt her mane brushed to the side. It was still a bit damp from the shower. The sensation of Twilight's body against hers above the covers sent a shiver down her spine. She couldn't hide the shudder, as she whimpered. Twilight was lying down next to her. Why? What other sick thing did she have planned? The unicorn felt a hoof begin to caress her belly, and hot breath tease her neck.

'_Not again! Please, please, not again!' _Rarity's mind screamed.

"I had a perfectly wonderful time tonight, Rarity. Thanks for letting me in. By the way, just so you don't get any ideas, if you tell anyone what happened last night, I will personally go to Princess Celestia and tell her about lover-boy here. And I'll tell her who was responsible for almost taking her student away from her again. Do you understand?" Twilight said just above a whisper.

"Y…Yes, Twilight. I…I understand," Rarity replied without hesitation.

Twilight just smiled knowing her victory was complete. She tilted her head towards the clock on the other side of the room. Princess Celestia's sun had begun to creep over the horizon. It was time to take her leave.

"It's time for me to go. We should do this again sometime, don't you think?" Twilight whispered again.

Rarity's eyes went wide. She thought that it would be over. She already gave up. She submitted in every way, what more could Twilight want from her? She shut her eyes tightly as tears started to form.

"Celestia, help me," she said under her breath.

The giggle that emanated from Twilight's throat cut to the core of Rarity's soul like a knife. The former element of magic leaned in closer, her muzzle just behind the fashion expert's ear.

"No, Rarity. I'm your princess now," She said.

Rarity was in awe. Frozen by fear and the helplessness she felt at that last statement. She was so horrified that she barely even noticed when Twilight kissed her on the cheek. Getting up, Twilight slowly made her way out of the bedroom. Her fellow unicorn just lay there, not moving as the sound of her conqueror's footsteps echoed slightly throughout the room. Once she heard the door close, Rarity did the only thing she could. She cried. She wailed into her pillow, a mixture of rage, sadness, fear and disgust pouring through her tears. What was she going to do? Whom could she tell? Who would help her? Even though it began as a carnal affair, she had begun to develop feelings for the stallion to her side. Even if she didn't, she would never forgive herself if he suffered because of something she initiated. And what about Twilight? They were having group sessions now, as well as individual therapy. How could she face her? How could she hold in the pain and the humiliation while being around the others? These questions attacked her mind like an army besieging a fortress. Her train of thought was broken, however, when she heard a strained groan come from the Royal Guard next to her.

"Hmmm… Rarity? That must have been quite a night we had! I don't even remember it! Wait, I remember seeing Twilight. Is she alright?" He said in a raspy voice as he turned to look at his lover.

Rarity's eyes went wide, as she was barely able to contain a gasp at the question. She gulped, as she looked him the eye. She was going to have to lie. It was the only thing she could do now. She couldn't tell him what really happened: That he was forced to have relations with another mare. Rarity had always been a good actress, and as much as she hated herself for doing what she was about to do, she knew it was for the best at the moment.

"O…Oh, it was quite a night! Twilight is just fine! She just came by to… see how I was doing," Rarity said while putting on her best smile.

Looking at the clock, the stallion grunted a response and turned over. Rarity went back to her thoughts as soon as the stallion's back was turned.

'_I…I have to figure this out! I…I will figure this out! I have to!' _Her mind screamed.

Soon, his snoring permeated the room again, leaving Rarity to cry softly to herself as the morning sun began to rise.

Princess Luna sat in front of the mirror as she once again examined her features. It had been quite a week, and a proper grooming was the best way she thought to relieve the stress. She knew that some ponies loved to gab when getting themselves groomed, but not her. She was always too relaxed to say anything. She felt like a new princess, as she once again examined her make-up and accessories. She could have it professionally done, of course. After all, she was royalty, and co-ruler of the land. However, she took a special pride in being able to prepare herself, and not have to rely on the professionals constantly. The talent proved quite useful, especially when receiving guests. A small smile crept onto her face at the thought of today's visitor. She was so lost in thought that her sister's voice startled her.

"Well, someone seems quite happy today. Care to share, little sister?" Princess Celestia inquired while walking into her sister's bedchambers.

"Tia! Don't sneak up on me like that!" The princess of the night retorted.

Princess Celestia let out a small laugh. She knew what day it was and who would be coming by. The white alicorn's smile grew as she sat next to her sibling. It was so nice having her back. She loved her citizens very much, but there was always a distance she had to keep with them, since she was their ruler. Even as close as she was with Twilight Sparkle, she was at best a mother figure and still an authority figure for the young mare. Her sister was family, however. She could just be herself around her fellow alicorn, and it was a feeling she cherished, especially having forgotten it for so long. As much as she had a duty to the denizens of Equestria, she also had the charge of giving her little sister a hard time now and again.

"My apologies, Luna. So, do you have something special planned for today? You seem to be taking your time getting ready," she said.

Princess Luna stiffened at the inquiry. She turned to give her sibling a faux glare, while trying to suppress the redness working its way onto her cheeks. She knew what her sister was doing.

'_The more things change, the more they stay the same, I see!'_ The darker coated alicorn thought to herself.

"As you know, we are scheduled to have a guest in the castle today, and I wanted to look my best, that's all," she answered gruffly.

Princess Celestia did her best to stifle a giggle. She always took great joy at ribbing her sister. She brought a hoof to her chin, as though she was pretending to ponder something.

"Hmmm, whoever could we be receiving today? Oh, that's right, isn't that stallion coming by? What's his name?" She exaggerated.

Luna huffed as she returned the inquiry, "His name is Big Mackinto…Big Mac," she said, correcting herself.

Luna was getting more nervous talking about the stallion. Whenever he was around her, she got butterflies in her stomach. His quiet gentleness, his hard stare. It affected her more than she was willing to admit to herself. She levitated a glass of water to herself, as her sister began to speak again.

'_That's it… take a nice big gulp…'_ Celestia thought to herself as she opened her mouth to speak.

"Oh! That's right, I remember now! The red stallion with the cute tush!" The sun princess said exuberantly.

The stream of water that jetted from Luna's mouth splashed all over her mirror, and began cascading down. The princess of the moon turned around, her cheeks now crimson with a wide-eyed look of exasperation.

"TIA!" Luna exclaimed.

The older alicorn stopped paying attention, however. She was too busy rolling on her back, holding her stomach and laughing so hard, tears were starting to form in the corners of her eyes. Her sibling stood and huffed loudly, not that Celestia heard her over her own laughing.

"Tia, that was mean! Why would you do that?!" Luna inquired heatedly.

"Oh, oh, Luna, I-I'm sorry, I couldn't resist!" She stammered through her laughing.

Luna stared at her sister flatly, waiting for her to calm down. Why did she have to tease her like this? With everything that has happened, did she really think it was appropriate to give her little sister a hard time? She shook her head and turned back to the water splash on the ornate mirror in front of her. Using her magic, she levitated a tissue and began cleaning her mess.

"And she says I need to be more mature," the moon princess muttered a bit more loudly than she originally intended.

Princess Celestia did her best to control herself. She was starting to reign in her laughter until that last statement started it up all over again. She hadn't laughed like this in so long, and as much as she didn't want it to end, she did have something important to discuss with her younger sibling. It took her another minute, but finally she caught her breath and regained her composure. Luna's scowl remained as she began to speak again.

"Sister, I know you like him, but we do have to talk about his visit today," the larger alicorn stated.

"What do you mean?" Luna asked curiously, as she turned to face her.

"With the events of the past week….with Twilight coming back…we have to discuss how we are going to proceed with Big Mackintosh's visit," Celestia stated seriously.

"Tia, are you suggesting that-"the princess of the night stammered before being cut off.

"No, I'm not suggesting that we lie to him. However, we have to make him understand the gravity of this situation, and how important it is that no one knows about what has occurred outside the castle. Twilight was almost taken away from me…from us again, and until we have more information on what we are dealing with, it is simply better to keep these events within the confines of the grounds. After observing him, I do believe he is trustworthy, I just hope that he is also complicit," the sun princess stated.

Luna turned from her sister's gaze as she thought hard about her elder's statement. She weighed the choices carefully. She could invite him to stay here while everything was sorted out. To say she would love his company would be an understatement, and it would give him a chance to get closer to his sister and the others, possibly helping them with their recovery. However, no one knew what his reaction was going to be. After all, Twilight may have died that night, but she was the reason his sister was suffering so much in the first place. Princess Celestia's student had gone insane and tried to kill them that night in a fanatical act of self-preservation. Understandably, Big Mac may harbor some ill will towards the mare, and who could blame him. As gentle as he was, he was also one of the strongest ponies in his town. He was a physical powerhouse, and who knows what he would be capable of if he became angry and irrational, especially if he viewed such a hypothetical assault as defending a family member. Luna also knew of his responsibilities back in Ponyville at Sweet Apple Acres. She would have to find a way to break the news to him gently. She was fairly certain that if she entrusted the stallion with such information and asked him to keep it to himself he would comply.

"I…I understand, sister. I believe that if I just talked with him, he will keep the knowledge of Twilight Sparkle's return to himself," Luna answered.

Princess Celestia sighed in relief. She was uncertain as to how her little sister would take to talking to Big Mackintosh about such a sensitive subject, but the look on Luna's face told her everything she needed to know. Her little sister has shown a remarkable increase in taking responsibility over the past six months. She smiled before levitating a glass of water to her own lips and taking a drink. She was so proud of her sibling.

"It'll be nice to get some alone time with that cute tush of his anyway," Luna stated with her own devious smile.

Princess Celestia immediately began choking on her water, as her eyes went wide. She needed to relieve her mouth of its contents, but her sister was right in front of her. Panicking, she turned her head to the side as a spray of liquid left her throat and rained onto the posh floor by the doorway.

"Luna!" Celestia exclaimed while catching her breath.

Now it was the princess of the night's turn to laugh. She laughed so hard she fell off the stool she was sitting on in front of her mirror. It didn't take long for her big sister to join in, as they both were practically snorting. Suddenly the door burst open as one of the Royal Guards entered.

"Your Majesty, are you all-WAHH!" The stallion shouted as he slipped on the wet floor in front of him.

Luna and Celestia both looked up for a moment just in time to see the poor pegasus slide on his belly across the room his backside slamming into the moon princess's bed. For a moment, there was silence, as the alicorns stared at the guard. He just started back at them blankly. He blinked a few times, showing that he was alright, just confused. This brought a torrent of laughter even greater than before as the sisters rolled into each other. After a few moments, the siblings finally settled down and smiled at each other. There were tears in each other's eyes, as they appeared to be thinking about the same thing.

"Thank you, Luna. I needed that in the worst way. With everything that's been going on, I never thought I would laugh again. I love you little sister," she said.

"I love you too, big sister," Luna answered hugging her sibling.

The two shared an embrace for a few moments, as the confused stallion continued to look on in confusion.

Pinkie Pie's stomach grumbled again as she made her way down the hallway, her hooves echoing with each step. She had been so upset when Princess Luna had informed her of the attack on Twilight. It hurt her to the core. How could anyone do this? She knew Twilight had made mistakes to say the least, but how was beating her half to death going to solve anything? Twilight was right about one thing: she came to her friends with her tail literally tucked between her legs, humble and begging for forgiveness. How could the rest of her friends just turn their backs on her? After all, they had been though together, Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash and even Applejack, just wanted to throw all of that away. Just thinking about it made her heart break. It was ok though. She would make everything alright again. They'll see! If they weren't going to be friends with Twilight, then she would. She owed it to her. Rainbow Dash may have screamed her head off, but that didn't make any of the dark coated unicorn's points any less valid. Not to mention, after Twilight's admission of her time in Tartarus, how could anyone turn away from her, no matter what she had done? She owed her an apology. Her friends owed Twilight an apology, and if they weren't going to give it, then she would, no matter what they thought. Her stomach growled again, as she knocked on the room that was supposed to be her old quarters. She had heard that Twilight went right back to her studies with Spike after she was discharged from the doctors' care. Hopefully some breakfast would get her out of the library and start interacting with others of her own volition again. Within a minute, Spike came to the door, opening it slowly. He smiled as he met Pinkie Pie's gaze.

"Oh, Hi Pinkie Pie. I'm guessing you're here to see Twilight?" He inquired.

"Hi Spike. Yes, I wanted to see if she was up for some breakfast. Is she here?" The pink party mare asked.

Spike's manner changed after hearing the question. He had a look of uncertainty on his face. Pinkie Pie eyed him curiously, as she pressed him for answers.

"Spike? I…Is everything alright?" She said.

"W…well, yeah…kinda," he stated.

"What do you mean?" She asked, as she began walking into the room behind the young dragon.

"Go see for yourself," he stated flatly.

Before Spike even finished his statement, the pink party mare began to hear muttering. It seemed to be coming from the second level of the quarters. She ascended the stairs her curiosity growing with each step. The muttering became louder the closer she got to the top. Finally, she gasped at what she saw when Twilight came into view. The unicorn was like a whirlwind. There were books and papers scattered about as Twilight ran from bookshelf to bookshelf taking what seemed like random texts and reading a few lines and tossing them about. For a moment, Pinkie Pie could do nothing but stare. She had seen Twilight like this once before, during that whole time travel debacle. While her behavior in that instance seemed at least congruent with what was facing her at the time, this just seemed… well, random! The pink earth pony just shook her head. This must have been bad for her of all ponies to call it random. Maybe she could snap Twilight out of it.

"Hi, Twilight! It's me, Pinkie Pie!" She announced cheerfully.

"Pinkie! Good, I'm glad you're here! I think that the possibilities are endless, especially if we assume that me coming back had a purifying effect! It…it's like when you put ore in a fire, you're from a rock farm so you understand that, but, anyway, it's after heat purifies the metal, it becomes stronger, and that's the main point, because if we take into account Mitosis, which is the process by which a eukaryotic cell separates the chromosomes in its cell nucleus into two identical sets, in two separate nuclei, which is also a form of karyokinesis, or, you know, nuclear division, it is generally followed immediately by cytokinesis, which divides the nuclei, and cytoplasm, and organelles, and cell membrane into two cells containing roughly equal shares of these cellular components, and that's where understanding comes from, you see Pinkie Pie? That's the key by which the forge purifies its creation!" Twilight rambled.

Pinkie Pie just stood there blinking, trying to process what her friend was talking about. She thought it best to try to change the subject.

"Umm…are you hungry? Would you like to get some breakfast?" Pinkie Pie inquired sweetly.

"There is a lot to do, Pinkie, but, yes, I need sustenance. I've been up all night, and I didn't have any food up here," Twilight answered in a much calmer tone.

Pinkie let out a sigh of relief as she turned to go down the stairs. She barely had time to move as she felt Twilight's fur brush against her.

"RACE YA!" Twilight yelled as she barreled down the staircase.

Pinkie Pie just stared, wide-eyed. Twilight was taking the steps a few at a time. She was so fast and graceful. She looked better than even the most polished of athletes. Something was clearly going wrong. Had Discord made some sort of error? She had to get to the bottom of this. Between how she acted around the rest of the former elements and her wild behavior today, she knew this was a recipe for disaster.

Pinkie Pie nibbled quietly on her muffin as she studied Twilight Sparkle carefully. They had made it down to the dining hall without too much of an issue. No one else was around, which made it a bit easier, considering how high the tension had been the last few days. They did get some coarse looks from the royal guards, which perturbed her a bit, but they did nothing to disturb their foraging. Twilight had chosen ice cream, and was scooping yet another helping into her bowl. It was her third in fifteen minutes, and throughout the whole meal she kept uttering to herself, while every occasionally bringing her left hoof to her face. Twilight was beginning to scare her. She didn't seem to be making any sense. What could have happened? She seemed relatively fine a few days ago, or at least coherent. She spoke up trying to get the unicorn's attention.

"Umm…Twilight? Is…is there something wrong with your face?" Pinkie Pie asked quietly.

"What? Oh, yes. I think I just have some sort of scab, that's all. This ice cream is lacking. It needs… AHA!" The unicorn shouted as she jumped to her hooves, startling her friend.

Twilight Sparkle walked over to a shelf on the other side of the polished royal kitchen and levitated another bowl towards them. She placed it on the counter and undid the top, as she used her magic to levitate a spoon. Pinkie Pie looked on curiously, and gasped at the contents of the jar. It was sugar. Twilight was sprinkling sugar onto her ice cream. Something was definitely wrong. The pink earth mare had the biggest sweet tooth of any pony she knew, and even she gagged at the idea of adding sugar to ice cream. It pained her to do it, but she had to go to the princess. She sighed and turned away from her friend as she thought over her options. What would she tell the princess? Would she lie again? Could she lie again? It tore her apart to have to lie to the princesses, but what else could she do? She was so lost in thought that she barely heard the squeak that came from behind them.

"I'm very happy you have decided to do this, Fluttershy. This is most certainly a breakthrough," Princess Luna said.

The dark-coated alicorn smiled at the timid pegasus next to her as they walked down the hallway. Fluttershy had come to her early this morning. Apparently, Twilight Sparkle had been by to visit her and to apologize about everything that happened. She was so scared of her, however, that she locked herself in the bathroom and told her former friend to go away because she was scared of her. The pegasus said that she heard Twilight break down in tears and leave, and that broke her heart. She wanted to apologize to the former element of magic, but she didn't know if she could do it alone. Princess Luna was more than happy to escort her down to see Twilight. After checking in with Spike, they found out that Pinkie Pie and Twilight were going to the main dining hall to get some breakfast. Luna was excited at the prospect. This was a big step for Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie being there should ease the tension even more. When Fluttershy first came to the castle for treatment after the initial incident, she was almost catatonic. For the first two weeks, she didn't stop shivering. She wouldn't eat, and she just kept crying. Even when she had calmed down enough to talk, the mere mention of the incident or Twilight Sparkle would send her into a panic attack. For her to be here now walking with the princess determined to find Twilight to talk to her was nothing less than a minor miracle. They hadn't made much small talk since they started their journey. Fluttershy wore a pensive look as she seemed to be thinking hard about what she was going to say to Twilight. As they rounded the corner and entered the main dining hall, it was empty except for Pinkie Pie and Twilight Sparkle, who had found a corner table. As they got closer, Fluttershy gasped. She was so lost in thought, she hadn't even realized how close her and the princess had gotten to her fellow elements. The timid pegasus could not help but utter a small squeak at Twilight's presence. Pinkie Pie turned at the sound and immediately stood up from her breakfast at the first sight of Princess Luna.

"Oh, good morning, Princess Luna! Hi Fluttershy!" The pink party pony said with a small smile while giving a quick bow towards the princess.

"Good morning, Pinkie Pie. Fluttershy had asked to speak to Twilight Sparkle for a moment," the princess said.

They all turned around to look at the unicorn in question. Her face was practically buried in her bowl of ice cream, and hadn't even acknowledged the princess and Fluttershy when they had arrived. It was very peculiar. She wasn't like Rarity when it came to proper etiquette, but she had been practically raised around royalty since she began studying under Princess Celestia as a filly. How could she not at least give a quick bow? After a few moments, the princess of the moon decided to intervene. She knew that she needed to have patience. Twilight was still not herself yet and scolding her for not showing proper respect would undo this chance for Fluttershy to get some peace, and that was more important than manners.

"Twilight Sparkle. It is Princess Luna and Fluttershy. Fluttershy has something she would like to say to you," the princess stated while stepping aside, letting the animal lover come forward.

Twilight eyed the two of them curiously. She looked deep in thought as she rose from the table and made her way around it cautiously. Fluttershy's heart was beating faster and faster with each step the unicorn took towards her. She had to keep focused.

'_you can do this, you can do this, you can do this…'_ echoed through her mind as Twilight stepped forward.

The two mares were face to face now. Neither of them said a word. Fluttershy looked down and away from Twilight. For what seemed like an eternity, there was just silence. As the tension mounted, the pegasus finally sighed as she spoke.

"Um, Twilight, I just wanted to um, apol…apologize for what happened yesterday. I didn't mean to make you cry," she stated meekly, while finally looking up at her former friend.

Twilight Sparkle leaned in, causing Fluttershy to become even more uncomfortable. She had so many thoughts racing through her head at the moment, it was hard to think straight.

"You were so afraid. It hurt me so much," Twilight answered.

Fluttershy shut her eyes tightly as she took in the unicorn's words. She knew that she had made a mistake letting her fear take control of her as she did. She knew what it was like. She had felt the same anger during the first Grand Galloping Gala. She was so nice and sweet, how the animals in the garden could be frightened of her confused her. As her confusion grew, however, so did her anger. She had let her feelings take over her being then, just as she did when Twilight came to apologize. While she was still scared, she knew she needed to at least try and make it right. Having someone out there who was crying over her direct actions made her feel horrible. It made her feel like she was one of the bullies who used to make fun of her because of her flying skills. Their methods may have differed, but the results were the same: Tears. She also had some time to think about Twilight, herself. She hated being scared all the time, and even though there were unanswered questions, she wanted the madness and sadness behind her. Twilight was clearly sorry for what she had done, and even though she had not fully forgiven the former element of magic, she had carefully considered Twilight's points made during the last group session. She tried to be as empathetic as possible, and when she really thought about it, she had been in a similar situation. She remembered how she treated Rarity and Pinkie Pie after the Iron Will seminar. She was power drunk and angry. She hadn't been thinking straight, just as Twilight wasn't when she was going through her changes. Rarity and Pinkie Pie hadn't given up on her, however. Instead, they kept trying to talk to her, and it was her own meanness towards her friends that finally snapped her out of it. The circumstances were the same regardless of the deadly variables that were introduced. Could she really hold Twilight responsible for her actions while she was changing into a different creature? Could she judge her for the same mistakes that she herself had made? It was time to bury the hatchet and move on. The doctors have been telling her that is how the healing begins.

"I know, I know, I was just so scared, but I know now that is no excuse for how rude I was. So, I wanted to say I'm sorry. I'm sorry Twi…" Fluttershy said just above a whisper before the former element of magic cut her off.

"You had a chance. It was right there. The Plasma Pool! You could have jumped in and you would have been purified! Everything you hated about yourself would have been gone!" Twilight shouted as she put her front hooves on the pegasus' shoulders.

The former element of kindness stiffened at the action but held her ground. She was trying to analyze Twilight's words, but they weren't making any sense. What was she talking about?

"Um, Twilight? What do you mean? Wh…what's a Plasma Pool?" the timid mare stammered.

"We could have been IT, Fluttershy! You and me and Pinkie, and A.J. All of us together, we would have been closer than any friends in Equestrian history! Why?! Why did you throw it away?!" Twilight shouted even louder.

Princess Luna could see that Fluttershy was beginning to get uncomfortable. It was time to end this. She needed to ensure Fluttershy's safety as well as her mental state. The princess of the moon refused to allow another setback. This behavior was odd as well, since Twilight Sparkle had always appeared lucid after she returned. She needed more information, possibly a private conversation. Big Mac was also set to arrive soon, and she had no more time to spare.

"Twilight Sparkle, that's enough," the princess advised sternly.

"Twilight, please I don't know what you're talking about!" Fluttershy said in exasperation.

The pegasus brought her front right hoof to meet her former friend's. She was about to move away when the unicorn used her strength to push her against the wall. A wild look of madness plastered itself onto Twilight's face as she took a low stance.

"DON'T TOUCH MY HOOVES! DON'T YOU EVER TOUCH MY HOOVES!" Twilight screamed at the top of her lungs.

Luna needed to act quickly. She barely had time to act, but managed to get Twilight trapped in a magic bubble before she leapt at Fluttershy. As Twilight floated in the bubble, she became increasingly exasperated. She began bucking the slightly invisible walls. Luna's eyes widened at the display. She could feel the pressure on her magic prison. Twilight's physical strength was off the charts. Not even the strongest earth pony was capable of hitting with that much force. Something was wrong. She needed to calm Twilight down before she could do anything else. The mare was in a frenzy while Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy looked on helplessly.

"YOU WON'T GET ME! I'M STRONG NOW! YOU WON'T EVER TAKE MY HOOVES AGAIN, DO YOU HEAR ME?! I'LL KILL YOU IF YOU TRY! I'LL KILL YOU!" The former element of magic bellowed as loud as she could.

"Twilight, please! Calm down! Fluttershy is your friend! No one wants to hurt you here!" Princess Luna said.

The bucking continued and the princess of the night was forced to increase her own magic output. As a result, the makeshift prison constricted. Twilight Sparkled began to panic at the development.

"NO, NO, NO, PLEASE DON'T DO THIS TO ME AGAIN! I'LL DO WHATEVER YOU WANT, JUST PLEASE LET ME GO! DON'T TAKE MY HOOVES AGAIN! PLEASE DON'T TAKE MY HOOVES AGAIN!" She screamed again, this time with tears streaming down her face.

"NO ONE IS TRYING TO TAKE YOUR HOOVES, TWILIGHT! YOU'RE IN THE CASTLE! IT'S ME, PRINCESS LUNA! CAN'T YOU SEE ME? PINKIE PIE AND FLUTTERSHY ARE HERE TOO! YOU HAVE TO STOP THIS!" The moon princess yelled back desperately.

Twilight's eyes and horn began to glow as she started building up her magic. She let out guttural cry as she lashed out with her power. There was a bright flash as the bubble was broken and Twilight Sparkle crashed to the ground. For a moment, there was silence. Princess Luna was immediately at the unicorn's side as she lay on her side, moaning. She was shivering as tears continued to fall, creating a wet spot on the ornate marble floor. Two royal guards were quickly at the princess' side, ready to attack. The alicorn held up her left hoof, waving them off. They both stood down, as ordered.

"Wh…what happened?!" Pinkie Pie asked.

"I do not know, Pinkie Pie. But right now, Twilight is in shock. We have to get her to the infirmary this instant," Princess Luna answered.

As the pink earth pony watched the princess once again activate her magic, and lift a seemingly unconscious Twilight Sparkle out of the dining hall, Discord's words again echoed through her mind.

'_Be careful what you wish for…'_

Hi, everyone! Another chapter in the books! Please review!


	8. Chapter 8

Twilight Sparkle examined the light wood bookshelves before her, as she slowly lifted a hoof to caress the spines of the tomes facing her. She was back in Ponyville at her home, in the library. She used the rest of her senses to examine her surroundings. The smell of wood and paper tickled her nostrils as she continued to walk tentatively about her former domicile. Everything was perfect. Her books were in order and the table in the center of the room seemed to shine. A smile made its way onto her face as she sighed. She was home. She was finally home, after everything that happened. She had wished for this moment for over six months, and here she was, back where she should be. Suddenly, her eyes went wide as she gasped. What about her friends? Were they here as well? The questions kept coming as her eyes darted around nervously. The last thing she remembered was talking to Fluttershy, and suddenly she was back here. Was this right? How did she get here? Whatever fantasy this was began to unravel in her mind quickly. Before she could think about the matter further, however, there was a knock on the door. Snapping out of her trance, she galloped towards her entrance and quickly threw the door open. Before she could react, she found herself pinned to the ground by a blur of pink.

"Surprise!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed, nose to nose with her friend.

"Pinkie? What are you…Where are we? Why are we back in Ponyville? I…I thought were supposed to be in Canterlot!" She asked.

The sounds of hoof steps made her ears perk up, as she tilted her head to the side. She soon found herself surrounded by her fellow elements of harmony. They all offered her smiles, as Pinkie Pie continued straddling her.

"We wanted to give you a proper welcome back, sugarcube!" Applejack stated cheerfully.

"Yeah! You're back here with us, just the way it should be, right?" Rainbow Dash reinforced.

"You…you mean…you forgive me? All of you? I… I thought you all hated me." Twilight asked as she shut her eyes tightly.

"Oh, there's no need for that, darling. You're here and we're here, and that's all that matters, Twilight," Rarity said.

Applejack walked over to the corner of the room. A record player stood there with a record spinning on it. Twilight twisted her head to see where Applejack was going, and eyed the phonograph curiously.

'_When did I get a record player?'_ She thought to herself as the sound of musical tones filled the air.

Twilight twisted her neck back around to face Pinkie Pie once again, her lips curling in a smile. They forgave her. She could feel tears forming in her eyes as she looked into the pink earth pony's eyes. Her heart filled with happiness at the notion of getting back to a sense of normalcy. Lunch dates with her friends, pony pet play dates, even writing letters to the princess and getting back to her research seemed possible again.

"Thank you so much, girls! Thank you so-AGH!" a hoof striking the side of her head cut off her statement.

"Come on, girls! It's time to have some fun!" Applejack said, as she walked over to the group.

Twilight's thought process was brought to a standstill, as she looked back up at Pinkie Pie, whose right hoof was raised above her, ready to strike another blow.

"Girls? What? What are you doing?" Twilight asked, her voice cracking in fear.

"Aw, we're just having some fun, egghead! Relax!" Rainbow Dash huffed.

Suddenly, blow after blow began to rain down upon the unicorn. Pinkie Pie had gotten up off her, as Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and even Fluttershy kicked her over and over again. Pinkie Pie turned around and joined in. Twilight felt nothing but pain as hooves struck her face, belly and sides repeatedly. She grunted and yelped as the pain increased. She rolled from side to side as she was struck again just above her ribcage. The music in the air mixed with Twilight's howls of pain, as she curled into a ball trying desperately to get away from the invading hooves. Twilight began to cry. How could they do this to her? They just said that they forgave her, and here they were, beating the life out of her. At last, her former friends ceased their attack, leaving Twilight Sparkle bruised with a pool of blood forming under her head. Her muzzle had taken quite a few blows as the deep crimson liquid flowed freely from the newly opened wounds. Her eyes went wide and she froze terrified at the next sound she heard. They were laughing. They giggled incessantly, looking at each other before speaking again.

"Oh, my! That was quite enjoyable!" Fluttershy stated excitedly.

"Ah know, right? Havin' fun there Twilight?" Applejack inquired, turning her gaze towards her former friend.

Twilight just answered with a strained groan. She began to reach out with her left hoof. She desperately tried to crawl away, her thoughts reduced to simple survival instincts.

"Guess what Twilight?! We have a great surprise for you!" Pinkie Pie cheered.

Twilight felt herself picked up by Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash. Hear head lolled from side to side as she strained to see where her former friends were taking her. Her vision was blurry, as she was beginning to lose consciousness. The group made their way down to the basement of the Library. Twilight again struggled to see where she was and what was happening. As they reached the base of the staircase, she gasped inwardly, as her adrenaline began to flow freely throughout her body. Before them was what seemed to be an elaborate pulley system? Ropes and gears littered the basement floor, with some of the ropes looped together as nooses. The pegasi let her drop to the floor unceremoniously. The unicorn groaned as she tried to move her sore flesh. Rarity's horn activated as the nooses that the former element of magic saw on the ground came alive and fastened themselves around each of her hooves. Twilight's heart began to beat faster as she realized her compromising position. What were they going to do to her?

"Please…please let me go! I'm sorry for what I did! Don't hurt me anymore, I'm begging you!" Twilight stammered through fresh tears.

Her fellow elements ignored her pleas. Suddenly, Twilight felt a harsh pulling sensation on all four of her hooves at the same time. She tried to cry out, but the pain was so intense, nothing escaped her throat. She looked over to see Applejack and Rainbow Dash pulling down hard on a large wheel with spokes. Twilight screamed at the realization of what they were trying to do to her. They wanted to take her hooves. The unicorn began to scream and thrash as loud and hard as her beaten body would allow her. She could feel her muscles and tendons begin to pull apart. Her socket joints began to pop and crack as deep red blotches became visible through her fur. Her blood vessels were rupturing under the strain. After a few moments, the pegasus and the earth pony ceased their efforts. Twilight Sparkle crashed to the ground crying loudly as she did.

"Please stop, please…please…" she blubbered repeatedly through the tears.

"Aw, hay! This ain't workin'!" Applejack huffed as she stomped her right front hoof down against the basement floor, a clopping sound echoing through the chamber.

"I know, I know!" Pinkie Pie shouted exuberantly as she bounced over to the group.

They huddled together, whispering amongst themselves. Twilight strained to hear what they were saying, but she couldn't hear anything. After a few moments, they all looked up with smiles on their faces.

"That's a great idea, Pinkie!" Applejack shouted.

Twilight Sparkle grimaced at the thought of what other torture they had planned next. Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Rarity and Pinkie Pie all made their way over to where Twilight lay. The purple unicorn gave them a confused and terrified look. Their only response was cheery smiles.

"Alright, ladies! One…two…three!" Applejack shouted as she turned the wheel hard again.

Twilight screamed as her torture continued. This time, however, her other former friends took positions at the base of each of her hooves. Thoughts raced through Twilight's head as she gazed at the ponies that surrounded her. What were they going to do now? Her answer came in the form of bites. She screamed louder as she felt four ponies sink their teeth into her soft flesh. Princess Celestia's prized student was spared no sensation, as the mares she once called friends hungrily chewed on her flesh. She swayed back and forth as each pony pulled on her skin, ripping her epidermis like wrapping paper. Once through her top layer, the former elements of harmony attacked her muscle tissue and ligaments like hungry wolves.

"Come…on…just a little bit…more…" Applejack grunted as she kept the pressure on the wheel.

Suddenly, Twilight's upper right hoof gave way under the constant pressure and tearing of her flesh. It snapped off making a ripping sound as Twilight's body once again fell to the floor. For a moment, there was silence as the friends all stared at each other. Pinkie Pie was at the base of the snapped limb as and turned her gaze towards a wailing Twilight Sparkle with a look of surprise on her face.

"I WIN, I WIN!" She shouted as she bounced up and down, giddy with excitement.

She continued to hop in place, as the others groaned in response. Blood and flesh matted the fur around their muzzles, as they looked towards Applejack.

"Come on, A.J. We gotta see who takes second place here!" Rainbow Dash hurried.

"Allright, allright. Get ready for round two, 'cause here we go!" The earth pony shouted as she once again pushed hard against the wheel.

Twilight's vision became blurry at the loss of so much blood that her eyes rolled into the back of her head as she let out a moan of pain. After a few moments more of strain and the mandibles tearing into her flesh, the other three hooves gave way at the same time. Twilight's body once again crashed to the ground. She looked through the tears at the four stumps that remained of her hooves. She wretched back and forth as her own blood matted the fur on her back. Her former friends walked over to her, examining their handiwork.

"Well, Ah guess that's that. Looks like everyone's a winner today!" Applejack said.

"You said it! I worked up an appetite though," Rainbow Dash stated.

"Well then what the hay are we standin' around for? Let's get over to Sugarcube Corner. I have a hankering for a treat mahself," Applejack said as her and the rest of her friends trotted towards the stairs, blood and flesh still dripping from their maws.

"Wh...why…why did you do this to me?!" Twilight whispered softly.

Her answer was the sound of the basement door shutting. They left her there. They left her there to die, and there was nothing she could to about it. As she looked back down at the bloody stumps that were once her hooves, her adrenaline once again began pumping through her veins. She screamed in terror as she shut her eyes tightly.

Fluttershy sat outside the infirmary room on the verge of tears. How could she have been so wrong? She completely misjudged her former friend. When she first saw her, she thought that the unicorn was some monster out to get her. The pegasus didn't mean to hurt feelings; it was just that she thought the whole thing was so…unnatural. Once a creature passed on, that was supposed to be it. Even with magic, there was no bringing back the dead. Looking at Twilight also brought back the vivid memories of that night. She lifted her left hoof to her head and began rubbing the small scar that remained from her injury. It was a constant reminder of the horrors she and the rest of her friends faced. Even though it was mostly hidden from view under her mane, she couldn't help staring at it whenever she looked in the mirror. It was like a metaphor for the scars on her soul. The injuries may have healed, but the scars will always remain. After what she just saw, however, her opinion of the purple unicorn changed dramatically. Applejack had said it after the first few months they were at the castle for their treatment. Everyone came down on her for looking at Twilight as sick and not being able to help herself. Rarity and Rainbow Dash scoffed at such an idea. They blamed Twilight Sparkle for her actions through and through. The timid pegasus admitted that she was skeptical of Applejack's position as well. Now that she got a good glimpse of just how broken the poor mare was she couldn't bring herself to hate her or even be scared of her anymore. She pitied her. It would take time, but she wanted to help her former friend. She owed it to her after the way she treated the former element of magic. A blood-curdling scream snapped her back into reality from her introspection. She jumped off the bench and galloped to the door, throwing it open. What she saw made her heart break, as she cowered low letting out a slight gasp. The covers on the sterile hospital bed were disheveled as Twilight Sparkle cowered in a corner of the white room. Princess Celestia was with her, and galloped around the bed, kneeling at her student's side in a heartbeat. She used her wings to envelope the shivering unicorn, trying her best to calm her down. Her former friend locked eyes with her and whispered something over and over. Fluttershy took a step forward to try to hear what Twilight was muttering. What the timid mare heard made her thoughts grind to a halt.

"Please don't hurt me, I'm sorry, please don't hurt me, I'm sorry…" Twilight Sparkle cried her teeth chattering.

It was too much for the pegasus to take. She felt tears stream down her own face as she turned to run. She just couldn't be there anymore. When she looked into her former friend's eyes all she saw was fear. She felt lower than she had ever felt in her life. Princess Celestia just held the unicorn and rocked her back and forth like a foul. It took some time, but after a few minutes of whispering reassuring words into her student's ears, she finally calmed down.

"Let's get you back into bed, ok?" The alicorn whispered.

Twilight just nodded, as she gingerly stood up of her own accord and slipped beneath the covers again. Her breathing was still slightly heavy, as she shut her eyes tightly. Princess Celestia didn't say a word. She thought that after what Twilight had just gone through that silence was best for now. She would wait until her student spoke up. It didn't take long for Twilight to turn to her teacher, despair written all over her face.

"I…I can't stop it, Princess! My head feels like it's on fire! It feels like there are a thousand thoughts trying to escape, and I can't control my own mind! I can't even…make a coherent sentence sometimes! I…I'm having…urges…that I can't control at all! I'm confused and frightened and scared! Wh…what's happening to me?!" Twilight cried as she reached out to her mentor.

Tears began to form themselves in the sun alicorn's eyes. She embraced her pupil again, hugging her tightly, and wrapping her wings around the unicorn. Even with all of her power, she couldn't help her student. Whatever was going on in her head, it was outside of her realm to help. She thought Luna may be able to go into the unicorn's mind, but she quickly dismissed the idea. Whatever was going on in her mind was so intense that she couldn't risk her sister's safety. If the dreams she had were enough to sever her connection to reality, even Luna would be overwhelmed. As much as she wanted to ask her student about her vivid nightmare, she didn't want to upset her again. Therefore, instead, she did what she could. She comforted the mare.

"We're going to help you, Twilight. We're going to help you," the princess whispered into the unicorn's ear.

Big Mac was worried. It had been over an hour, and he was still standing outside the main door of the palace. Usually, Princess Luna would be out to meet him promptly. The two royal guards in front of the ornate entrance way were tight lipped, and would not share any information with the stallion. Something was wrong. That could be the only explanation for the moon princess' tardiness. He perished the thought of anything happening to his sister, especially here. This was supposed to be her safe haven, her sanctuary. If she was being hurt here, there was nowhere for her to truly be safe. He tried desperately to put such thoughts out of his mind, as he knew that without proper information they would only add to his rising anxiousness. Finally, the door opened revealing the dark-coated alicorn.

"Luna, is everything…" he started as her rushed to meet her.

"Applejack is fine, do not worry. However, there has been a development. Please, come inside. We must talk," she said calmly.

Big Mac complied as he followed Princess Luna into the castle. She could see the worry etched onto his face. She knew it was her job to break the news about Twilight's resurrection to him. She had hoped to delay the conversation to at least until after a simple exchange of pleasantries, but that wish died with her excessive lateness.

"What kind of development? What the hay's goin' on, Luna?" Big Mac inquired.

Normally, Luna would scold him for his tone, as well as his choice of language when addressing royalty. However, she understood his exasperation. He was simply worried about his family and starting a fight with him over simple etiquette would have been counterproductive. They had made their way down one of the ornate hallways, as she had led him into one of the many palace lounges on the grounds before the main hall. He became more curious when she sighed and shut the door behind them. What was going on? She had said that Applejack was all right, which he was grateful for, but that didn't answer any of the questions that were swirling around in his mind. The alicorn turned to face him, sighing again as she did.

"About a week ago, something happened that you need to know. However, after I tell you, you must promise me that you will not tell another soul outside of these castle walls. Do you understand?" She asked.

Big Mac was even more confused. Her tone was sweet and understanding. It felt like she was making a request of him, rather than giving him an order. His expression softened, as he answered the princess.

"You know you can count on me, Luna. What's this about?" He inquired again.

"Twilight Sparkle is alive. She appeared out of nowhere, and is currently residing here in the castle," she said.

Big Mac's eyes widened at the statement. How can she be alive? From what he was told, Applejack and her friends were there when Twilight was killed. Applejack was a terrible liar, so he was able to rule out any deception there. The more he his mind processed the information given the more questions he had. So stunned was he by the development, however, that he could only vocalize a simple question.

"H…how?" He muttered.

"We…we aren't sure, actually," Luna answered sparsely.

The princess of the moon had a difficult time reading the stallion. What was he thinking? She had to be ready in case things got out of control. As she studied the apple farmer, his demeanor changed. The look on his face morphed, and he no longer looked like the gentle giant that Luna had become so fond of spending time with on his visits. This is exactly what she was afraid of.

"Ah wanna see her," he stated coldly as his eyes narrowed.

"Big Mac, please. She isn't the same…her mind…trust me when I tell you, she is suffering," Luna said trying to calm the farmer.

"Luna, Ah don't…" he started.

"You must understand…"she said cutting him off.

"SHE TRIED TA KILL MAH SISTER!" He bellowed.

"DO NOT RAISE YOUR VOICE TO ME! She screamed back.

They looked into each other's eyes intensely. No more words were spoken, but the tension in the air was so thick it could be cut with a knife. They seemed to have reached an impasse. She knew that he was angry, but she was still a princess, and it was very disrespectful for him to have raised his voice to her like that. She wanted to be as cordial to him as possible, especially as their relationship had grown over the past several months, but if it took reminding him who was in charge to calm him down, then that is what she would do. In his mind, however, family was everything. He didn't care who was ordering him around. The stallion may regret his actions later, but for now, a royal title meant nothing to him when it came to facing the mare that tried to take his sister away from him. After a minute, however, Princess Luna closed her eyes, ending the standoff.

"No," Luna said softly. Her expression softened as well, as she turned away from him.

"Big Mac, I know you're angry. You have every right to be. I… I don't want us to fight. Not after everything we… I just don't want us to argue, please," she begged him as droplets of water fell from her eyes.

The sudden change in the alicorn's mood caught the stallion off-guard. He was country through and through, and the mere thought of his actions making a mare cry caused him to cringe visibly. Confusion and regret began to replace his anger. He took a few steps towards the princess and put his hoof on her shoulder. He would never have thought of making such a gesture before his weekly trips. After all, she was royalty, and he was a plain old farmer from Ponyville. It was simply his instinct to do what he could to comfort the crying princess in front of him. She made no attempt to stop him and instead moved closer to his embrace.

"I… I spent a thousand years trapped on the moon. I missed so much. In many eyes, I have been back awhile, but for me it still seems like I've just returned, and I am trying so hard to keep everything from falling apart! The elements of harmony… their scars run so deeply, no doctor has ever seen anything like this! And my sister…she…she was so depressed for so long. I… I never told anyone this, but…but that first week after the incident, I had to raise both the sun and the moon! She didn't even want to get out of bed! I…I've been trying to run a castle, a country, provide the elements of harmony with therapy, with those I love fighting me every step of the way!" She stammered through her tears.

The moon princess was openly sobbing now, as she turned to Big Mac and hugged him tightly. He returned the embrace, feeling even guiltier for his earlier actions. How could he have been so stupid? Everything she said made sense, and she continued to pour her heart out to the stallion.

"Everyone just assumes that I can handle it! They… they all just think, "Oh, she's an ailcorn, she's a princess, she'll get it done!' And…and I can't! I've tried to do what I can, to do what I think is right, but It's just me! I…I can't do this alone! I may be a princess, but I'm still just one mare!"

Big Mac hugged her even tighter, as she lightly sobbed into his coat. She was right. Even he had made the same mistake. In all the times he came here, he never thought of what this situation could be doing to her. How stressful it must have been for her. He never realized any of the other factors involved in this arrangement, since he was so focused on his sibling. He felt small. He felt even worse than he had before. Finally, she looked up at him with puffy eyes and tears streaming down her face. The feeling was back. That feeling in the pit of her stomach when she looked into his eyes.

"You…you're the only one, Big Mac. You're the only one I can talk to, the only one I can go to! Please…please stay calm! For me!" She begged.

"Ah…Ah'm sorry, Luna. Ah…Ah never recognized what kinda stress you've been under. Ah shoulda realized that this whole thing was affecting you too. Ah…Ah'm sorry, please forgive…" He whispered, until the mare's lips interrupted him.

She kissed him deeply, as time seemed to stop. She felt his heartbeat begin to race in his chest. He didn't turn away, much to Luna's relief. Instead, he fully embraced her in his hooves as they continued the kiss.

Finally, Princess Luna broke the kiss, and began to whisper in the stallion's ear.

"Please stay with me tonight. I…I don't want to be alone. You…you can visit your sister in the morning, and then I will take you to see Twilight, I promise. It's just that right now, I…I don't want to be alone. Please," she said softly.

A small smile crept its way onto Big Mac's face as he looked into the mare's eyes. He weighed his options in his mind, but there really wasn't a choice here at all. She had let him in emotionally, and there was no way he could betray that trust by rejecting her invitation. It also seemed that she felt the same way about him as he did about her. He never thought anything of it, but he had regular visits with a beautiful princess. He remembered the first few visits to the castle. He had never been so thankful for having a red coat, as he could not help himself from blushing every time the princess flashed him a smile. There were things to be worked out, of that, he was certain, but he believed the farm could survive a night without old Big Mac.

"Yer wish is my command, yer highness," he answered softly.

The moon princess let out a small giggle. It felt like a huge weight lifted off her shoulders. There was a lot to think about, of course, but tonight was going to be about her for a change. She could attend to her normal duties tomorrow night. She hugged the stallion her excitement growing at the wonderful night ahead of them.

Twilight Sparkle stared out the window as the warm colors of dusk began to settle over the palace gardens. After crying her eyes out wrapped in Princess Celestia's wings, she finally opened up about the nightmare she had. The violent nature of it clearly disturbed the sun princess, although she was masterful at not showing it. She had simply nodded and continued to use her hoof to stroke the unicorn's mane. After awhile, she had convinced the princess to let her go back to her quarters. It's not that she wasn't grateful for the help that she got at the infirmary, it was just the environment there was so clinical, that it made her feel uncomfortable. The princess weighed the options before letting her go, but in the end, after such an ordeal, she wanted to make sure her student was as relaxed as possible, and she knew that being away from such a sterile room was probably the best remedy for now. The white alicorn did make it clear, however, that Twilight would need regular check-ups from now on. Her mind wandered onto other things now, however. She was starting to feel strange again. Maybe it was the rest, but she felt energized. She closed her eyes and sighed as the moon took the sun's place in the sky. She felt trapped. Not just in here in the castle, but in her own body. It was ironic how she had once seen these walls as a haven. Now they seemed more like a prison. She knew it was against everything the princess wanted for her, but she needed to get away. She needed to get out. To get away from this place, her former friends, and the memories of what she did to them. As she opened her eyes, she removed the smooth covers and sheets that had tucked her in and made her way to the window. It had been awhile, but she believed that she could cast a teleportation spell, and be outside in an instant. The guard shifts were changing now, and if she moved quickly, she knew that she could be out in the main city shortly. At first, she hesitated. Disobeying a direct order from the princess was a tall order for her psyche to handle. There was a storm surging within her, and she knew that the only way to quell the fire of conflict would be for her to escape it, or at the very least to get her mind off it. With a deep breath, she activated her magic, and in a flash of light, she was gone, reappearing on the garden grounds. She took a brief moment to appreciate the sensation of grass underneath her hooves. It felt like home, back in Ponyville. She didn't have time to dwell, as the princess expressly ordered her to get some rest in her quarters. If memory served, a little known pass leading back into the city was not too far off. She would need to be careful. The lavender mare slowly and gingerly made her way towards the path, and soon found herself in the main part of the city. She closed her eyes as she took in the crisp mountain air into her lungs. The noise made by the hustle and bustle of the metropolis seemed to caress her ears, feeding her renewed energy and strength. She found the sensory overload relaxing rather than overwhelming. As the former element of magic opened her eyes again, she made her way into the streets, going wherever the wind would take her.

Nurse Redheart stared into the bottom of her glass, as she felt the last drop of hard cider slide down her throat. She normally didn't drink, but after this week, she needed one. Twilight Sparkle's sudden reappearance shocked everyone to their cores. There were no answers to how or why she had returned. Not that it mattered to her, really. Being a nurse meant that she had a duty to the patient in front of her, no matter who they were. She had never treated someone who came back from the dead six months later, though. She shivered as she thought back to when she triaged the unicorn after her severe beating. The princess's protégé was lucky to be alive, after such an ordeal. Everything after that, however, seemed a bit off. The princess' attitude towards her after Twilight's recovery was the first sign of trouble. She had been around enough patients to know that when they kept repeating that something was "just fine," it was often a sign that something was in fact very wrong. Her hunch was confirmed after speaking with the doctor who had treated Twilight Sparkle. She, of course, kept the information quiet. Sharing patient information with the unauthorized is expressly forbidden in the medical field, and she prided herself on keeping her patients' confidentiality. However, this was the most difficult thing to keep to herself. It was only later that she had found out that the princess knew of the increased metabolism and healing, and at first she felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. After Twilight's last episode, however, her fears came back to haunt her. Something was wrong. She didn't know what it was, but there was something not right with Twilight Sparkle. She went through various scenarios in her head, but none of them seemed to make sense. She wanted more answers, but she couldn't pry. It would be unprofessional. Suddenly, the voice of the bartender broke her train of thought, as he came over to check on his patron.

"Another?" He asked, smiling at the pretty mare in front of his eyes.

"No, thank you. I think I'll be going now," she replied sheepishly with just the hint of a blush on her cheeks.

She pushed herself away from the dark wooden bar top, and slowly slid off her stool, her hooves clicking as they touched the stone floor underneath her. She put her money on the counter before flashing the barkeep another smile as she turned to leave. Her thoughts quickly turned back to Twilight Sparkle. She remembered the night the incident occurred. It was the middle of the night, when she was startled awake by loud banging coming from her entryway. She thought that it might have been a burglar trying to break in, so she made her way tentatively to her window to get a better look at the stranger at her front door. She gasped when she saw two royal guards standing their looking rather impatient. She quickly opened the door for them, not wanting them to have to knock again. They quickly informed her that there was some sort of incident at the library and that her medical skills would be needed. Luckily, she always kept a spare medical bag in her main hall. After grabbing in as fast as she could, she practically bowled over the royal guards as she ran to the library. She burst through the door of the library, and dropped her medical bag as soon as she took in the sight. There were royal guards everywhere as well as earth ponies in white coats. At first, she thought they were doctors, but upon closer inspection, they seemed like scientists. Her eyes drifted around the room, overwhelmed by the activity, before finally settling on Princess Celestia and the elements of harmony. She gasped as she ran over to the princess, who raised a hoof before the earth pony mare could say anything.

"Take care of them," the princess choked out, her eyes puffy.

As Nurse Redheart studied the alicorn, she could tell that she had been crying. She bowed and moved onto the other ponies, as she began to examine them. They were crying and shivering. Most of them had bruises, Fluttershy being the worst. She had just begun to treat what appeared to be a day old wound on the pegasus' skull, when she heard a scream come from the other side of the room. What she saw made her want to vomit. A unicorn was lying with her back against the wall, and she was screaming and staring at the stump that was once her hoof. Nurse Redheart was overwhelmed. She didn't even know where to start. She worked at Ponyville Hospital, but such injuries were so rare, she had to think for a moment before remembering the proper steps to treat her. Luckily, the door had burst in again, as some of the doctors from the hospital made their way into the tree house, and began assessing the situation and treating the others. It wasn't long until they were deemed fit to move to the hospital for further evaluation. The crying and shivering was unlike anything she had ever seen. They each had to be sedated, which was rare especially at their facility. What had they seen? What could drive a pony, especially these ponies, who had saved Equestria more than once, to such madness? She had tried speaking directly with the princess, but she seemed to be afflicted as well. Nurse Redheart saw that her princess was trying her best to keep it together, but she seemed to be on the verge of a breakdown. Finally, she had found a few of the royal guards, and finally struck up the nerve to ask what was going on. They led her to the Princess for a debriefing. Her memories of the conversation were as vivid as thought it happened yesterday. The princess had explained the situation, when the earth pony gasped at the horrors the princess was speaking about. It had then occurred to her that she had not seen Twilight Sparkle among her friends. The rest of the elements were left under her care until they were stabilized where they were moved to the castle for further treatment. Nurse Redheart jumped at the chance to assist in their recovery. Six months later, here she was, walking out of a bar onto the lonely streets of Canterlot. Suddenly a voice called her name, as she turned around, almost jumping out of her skin. Her eyes went wide as she managed to utter a single word.

"Twilight?!"

Well, another chapter in the books! Please review!


	9. Chapter 9

'_I need to find us a new place to sit,' _Nurse Redheart contemplated, as she scanned the dark and crowded club.

She thought she was lucky to find a few seats for her and Twilight, but she wasn't used to going to these types of establishments, and hadn't realized that the reason they were vacant was that they were right next to the speakers. She could feel the power and vibrations coming from the monstrosities next to the neon lit bar area. Her eyes had finally gotten used to the subtle hues the modern-esque room offered, as her eyes drank in the cool blues and yellows. She didn't think she could ever get acclimated to the pulse-pounding music that drenched her ears, though. There were no other seats, though, and as much as Twilight had goaded her, she didn't feel like dancing. She was looking forward to a nice, relaxing evening with just her and her thoughts. That all changed, however, once Twilight Sparkle ran up to her on the street. At first, she thought there was something wrong at the palace, and she became quite distressed. Once the unicorn alleviated her fears, the discussion turned to why Twilight was out of the castle. She thought that the princess had ordered her to stay on the palace grounds. Much to her surprise, Twilight did nothing to hide the fact that she had snuck out against the princess' wishes. The confession once again caused the earth pony to panic. This went against everything she knew about her, yet here she was, in the midst of disobeying a direct order from her mentor. Twilight's plea for some time away from the castle and her former friends was too genuine to ignore, however. The look in her eyes when she begged her not to tell the princess about this persuaded the medical professional to agree to her terms, but only under the condition that they stick together. She was not about to let Twilight out of her sight with all the strange things that were going on at the castle. It went against her better judgment to agree with a mare who was unstable, but sometimes friends have that way of convincing you to throw caution to the wind. Besides, how could she deny Twilight the same thing that she, herself sought? She went out for a drink because she needed some time away, so she empathized with the unicorn's dilemma.

"Come on! Dance with me already! Don't just sit there!" Twilight screamed over the blaring music as she gyrated a few feet from her.

Nurse Redheart looked over at her friend and put on the best smile she could. Honestly, she didn't even believe a place like this existed within the confines of Equestria's snooty capital city. From what she heard, an incident at the Grand Galloping Gala a few years ago spurned some of the younger citizens to seek out these dance tunes that were far different from the traditional Canterlot themes one would usually associate with the metropolis. Over the last year, clubs like this began to pop up, attracting a younger crowd. While these clubs still reflected the posh lifestyle that was Canterlot, they had an edge to them that attracted all different types of ponies. There were just as many pegasi and earth ponies in the club right now, as there were unicorns. Suddenly, the medical professional's eyes went wide as she spotted a group getting up from a couch towards the end of the bar in the lounge area. She instinctively rose and made a beeline for the loveseat, but she felt herself yanked around by her left hoof. She squeaked as the violent jerking motion made her twirl around and almost lose her balance. She suddenly found herself face to face with a smiling Twilight Sparkle and in the middle of the dance floor. Her cheeks got red as her eyes darted around nervously. She had never danced like this before. She didn't know what to do.

"Come on! You really have to loosen up!" Twilight shouted as she began dancing around her friend.

Residing to her fate, the earth pony began to move to the beat of the music as best she could. After a few minutes, however, she began to feel a sharp pain in her left hoof. She began to slow down as she became preoccupied with an increasingly sore left socket joint. What had she done? She knew she wasn't out of shape, she couldn't afford to be in her line of work. She stopped dead once she reached her conclusion.

'_Twi…Twilight dragged me out here, but… when she grabbed me…it did feel quite strong for a unicorn…could she actually have hurt me? Just by taking my hoof?'_ She thought to herself.

Twilight Sparkle stopped as well, as she eyed her friend with worry. She walked up to the earth pony and gingerly placed a hoof on the shoulder she was nursing.

"Do you want to take a break?" Twilight yelled in concern.

Redheart just nodded, as Twilight began to look around for some seating. She quickly found some seats in the lounge area, and motioned for the medical professional to follow her. The white earth pony collapsed onto the couch, taking in labored breaths. She hadn't exerted herself like that in quite awhile. Maybe she wasn't as in as good a shape as she thought.

"Sorry, I thought I was in better shape than this, Twilight," she said as she twisted her head towards her friend.

Nurse Redheard eyed the unicorn curiously, as she saw Twilight rubbing her chin and neck furiously with her right hoof. Even though she had a few drinks in her, her special talent was still caring for the sick and injured, and it didn't take long for her to go into professional nurse mode. At first, she just quietly observed the mare, going through her internal checklist of possible reasons for Twilight's scratching. A rash perhaps? But how and where could she have picked it up? An allergy? No, she knew Twilight's medical history pretty well, and she had no known allergies.

"Twilight, dear, are you feeling alright?" The earth pony inquired.

The unicorn ceased her scratching, as she grunted in response. She tilted her head, as she moved closer to the earth pony.

"How come you always wear your mane in a bun? I mean, I know that you keep it that way for work, but, you aren't at work now," she asked.

The question confused Nurse Redheart. Had Twilight not heard her query? Although it was still loud, their new seating arrangement took them much farther away from the speakers than they were previously, which made talking much easier than before. She didn't want to be rude, and the unicorn stopped scratching herself, so she decided to offer an answer.

"W….well, it's not something I really think about. This is just how I wear my mane. I work long hours anyway and I'm usually so tired at the end of the day, I don't think about my mane style outside of just normal maintenance," she said.

Twilight shifted slightly, moving closer towards her friend. Without thinking, she started caressing the back of the medical professional's neck with her hoof, as she gave her an alluring look. The feeling was back again. Dancing with such a pretty pony was starting to arouse her primal urges. She went through so much today, with the nightmare and crying in Princess Celestia's embrace. She had felt so weak, but dancing, doing something physical, made her feel strong again. She wanted to leave everything she was dealing with behind. Her libido didn't give her much choice.

"You know, Nurse Redheart, personally, I think you would look very pretty if you wore your mane down. Even prettier than you look right now," she said in a sultry voice.

The earth pony's eyes widened and her body immediately stiffened at the statement. Right away, a red hue found its way onto her cheeks, as her eyes darted nervously from side to side. She didn't know what to do. She had never been in a position like this before. She got goose bumps as she felt Twilight's hoof lightly glide up and down on the back of her neck, tickling her slightly. The unicorn was clearly coming on to her, but she didn't know how to handle it. There were so many factors to consider right now. First, Twilight was technically a patient, and that fact alone would make her off limits. However, as professional as she was, she still had needs. Working long hours in the medical field did not leave much time for courting a special somepony. She had never considered being with a mare before but she had always found Twilight to be very pretty. Her inhibitions were low as well, thanks to the drinks she had tonight. She didn't want to admit it to herself, but the taboo nature such a rendezvous presented excited her. After all, no one knew they were both here together. Twilight had snuck away from the castle, and the earth pony's shift was over for the night and she was free to go about as she pleased. They could do whatever they wanted, and Twilight was looking particularly pretty tonight underneath the soft and dim lights of the club. She bit her lower lip as Twilight moved closer to her, and placed her free hoof on her knee, caressing it gently. Suddenly, Nurse Redheart panicked.

"I…I'm sorry, I have to go to the powder room!" She shouted nervously, as she shot up from her seat and headed to the restroom.

As she blew the door to the lavatory open, she winced at the bright lights, which struck her eyes, blinding her momentarily. The bathroom was lit normally compared to the rest of the establishment. After a few moments, her eyes adjusted as she looked at herself in the mirror. Twilight had managed to undo part of her bun as half of her mane lazily fell past her left shoulder. She was breathing heavy and she knew she needed to calm down. She had never known Twilight to be so forward. It was time to take a step back and analyze the situation, as much as her loins screamed at her for doing so. Something was wrong. The unicorn most definitely had a personality shift. A sudden change of personality, and furious scratching of the face and neck. What did that mean? She needed more information, but was unsure of how to get it. Before she could turn around, she heard the door open, and a voice whisper the words "there you are," as she was blindsided. She quickly found herself pinned up against the bathroom wall, as she heard the door lock. She tilted her head just soon enough to see magic dissipating from around the handle.

"Twi…Twilight, what are you-MMPH!" Nurse Redheart's statement was cut off as the unicorn brought her lips to the earth pony's mouth in a deep and passionate kiss.

The white mare groaned and whimpered under the strength of the kiss, as she squirmed under her friend's grip. She felt Twilight's tongue caress her own as her mind struggled to catch up to what just happened. The darker coated mare had pinned her back against the wall, pressing their bodies together while firmly holding the nurse's front hooves in place in a Y-shape above her head. She needed a way out of this. She had to get to the bottom of whatever was affecting Twilight, but she didn't have many choices. The bathroom door was locked, and the unicorn's strength was surprising. She squirmed a bit, but she couldn't move. Twilight had her in a vice grip and wasn't at all concerned with letting her go, it seemed.

'_Think! Think! I need to find out-ungh!'_ Nurse Redheart thought, as she felt a knee rub against her nether regions, making her grunt aloud.

After a few moments, an idea came to her. It was risky, but it was the only way she thought to get the information she needed. She was used to relating to patients on their terms. Every patient was different, and part of being a nurse was understanding patients as individuals, and adapting her bedside manner to extract certain pertinent facts. Granted it was much harder to do when you were pinned against the wall by a beautiful mare who was kissing you and rubbing away at your most sensitive area. She needed to fight off her arousal as well as the effects of the alcohol in her bloodstream. Once Twilight broke the kiss, she needed to be ready and focused. After a few moments more, Twilight did in fact break the kiss, and tilted her head down, as she began to nibble on the mare's neck. Now was her chance.

"So, hmm, Twi…Twilight, I…I'm guessing you want to play doctor?" She whispered as the unicorn continued her ravaging.

Twilight giggled at the insinuation. It was nice to have a willing partner for a change. She grunted her approval, as Nurse Redheart continued.

"O…ok, then. Just…Ahh…remember, you have to answer…hnnng…honestly," the white mare said.

After getting another approving grunt from Twilight, it seemed her plan was working. It was getting harder and harder to concentrate, but this was her friend and she had to help her. She let Twilight ravage her, while she spoke.

"How have you been feeling…nngh..dear?" Nurse Redheart inquired.

"Heh, take a guess," Twilight muttered before continuing to kiss the white mare's neck.

'_Ok, need to be more specificAHH!'_ Her mind screamed as she tried to control herself.

"A..alright. How have you been…hnng…sleeping lately?" The medical professional squeaked.

"Hehe. Sleep? I hardly need it anymore. I feel strong. Powerful," Twilight answered in between kisses.

"Ok…then…ohhh…what about the scratching? I…oohh…I saw you scratching yourself before. Do you h…have…something on your neck, or…hnng…face?" The nurse pressed.

"Just some bumps. Nothing to worry…" She gasped, stopping her activity.

Nurse Redheart looked down at the mare, her breathing still labored, but gradually calming down. As much as she wished for the unicorn to continue, her professionalism returned as she studied Twilight's face. She was staring at her reflection in the mirror with a look of terror on her face.

"Twilight, what's wrong? What do you see?" Nurse Redheard inquired further.

The memories came back in waves. Arguing with Rarity and Rainbow Dash, hurting Pinkie Pie, Applejack, and Fluttershy. Hurting those poor animals. She remembered the worry she felt after the end of that first argument. Rarity had stopped short, right in the middle of screaming at her, uttering the words that turned her world upside down. They echoed in her head, as she whimpered at the sight.

'_Twilight, what happened to your face?!'_

The unicorn stumbled back, shivering, while still looking at herself in the mirror. Nurse Redheart, now in control of her faculties once again, crept behind Twilight to see if she could get a better look. What she saw made her gasp as well. There were bumps and blisters all over the unicorn's neck, and a few sores on her muzzle as well. They were unlike anything she had ever seen before. They seemed fleshy, almost like boils. The medical professional could see a crust beginning to form around each one, as the fur parted where the skin began to crack. She could attempt a diagnosis later. Right now, she needed to comfort the mare in front of her.

"Twilight, it's going to be ok. We'll get you back to the castle, and then…" the nurse never finished her sentence, as Twilight rose and used her magic to unlock the door, galloping out of the room as fast as she could.

"TWILIGHT, WAIT!" Nurse Redheart shouted as she ran after her.

Princess Luna sighed as she put down her quill, her magic dissipating in an instant. She looked over at the stallion sleeping soundly in her bed beside her desk. She couldn't help but smile as she studied the rise and fall of Big Mac's chest as he snored lightly. It had been a wonderful day, and the night was even better. She had some servants bring them lunch and dinner as they sat around and talked in her bedchamber. After dinner, then tension in the air reached its fever pitch as she approached the stallion and kissed him. Big Mac's reaction was amusing as he tried to move the dinner cart out of the way in order to embrace her fully. A few hours later, the farmer was fast asleep, leaving Luna to catch up on some work. Even though she said she didn't want to do any work tonight, no one else was really around and one of the things she hadn't taken into account when she invited him to stay was their vastly different schedules. Princess Luna was the princess of the moon, and therefore did most of her work at night. Granted, she had some extra energy, being an immortal goddess and all, so she could stay up during the day, as long as she didn't do it too often. Big Mac, however, was a farmer through and through. He was usually up before dawn and in bed right after sundown in order to do the work he needed to. Their time together was magical though. It had been a thousand years since she had felt a stallion's touch, and she couldn't be happier with her choice. He was strong, but gentle at the same time. A feat strapping earth ponies rarely mastered, especially in the bedroom. Big Mac could teach a class. She giggled to herself at the naughty thoughts that now invaded her mind. She snapped out her daydream when she heard a knock on the door. She got up as quietly as she could and gingerly walked over to the door, opening it slowly, trying hard to stop any creaking. She found her sister standing in front of her. She couldn't help her face getting a shade redder as she greeted her fellow alicorn.

"Hello, Sister. I'm glad you were able to stop by. I need to talk to you," she whispered.

Celestia nodded as she stepped to the side, letting her little sister come out into the hallway. She eyed her younger sibling curiously, as she watched her close the door slowly. Why was she being so quiet?

"Luna? Is there something wrong?" She asked with concern in her voice.

Her answer came in the form of Luna smiling and sighing while sitting and leaning up against the door to her room, a dreamy look plastering itself on her face. Celestia's eyes widened as she began to put the pieces together.

"Luna! Is…is who I think is in there actually in there?!" Celestia said excitedly.

"Yes! Now keep your voice down! The poor stallion is exhausted and trying to get some rest!" Luna said in a low voice.

Princess Celestia began to giggle, but was soon cut off by a hoof on her shoulder. The look on her sibling's face was too somber to continue laughing.

"This isn't why I asked you here. I need to talk to you about Twilight," Luna stated gravely.

The mention of her pupil dropped any humor their conversation previously contained. She nodded, advising her sister to continue.

"I know that you comforted her during her episode earlier today, but there is something you need to know," she said.

"What happened?" Celestia inquired worriedly.

"As you know, I had to place her in a magic bubble before she attacked Fluttershy. She was able to maintain her balance within it, which was odd enough, but what happened next surprised me further. She began bucking the magic walls and I could feel her power. Celestia, her bucks were more powerful than I ever imagined. She has to be considerably stronger than even the strongest earth pony. I had to increase my magical output just to keep the construct stable," Luna explained.

The sun princess' looked away from her sister as she contemplated what her sibling just told her. Luna once again put a hoof on her shoulder and continued speaking.

"Tia, something is very wrong here. Unicorns, even the strongest of them, are still inferior to most earth pony's physical strength. But, Twilight? She could outclass any earth pony, strength-wise. She may even be a physical match for us, sister," she said.

Celestia sighed as she closed her eyes, tilting her head down towards the ornate tiled floor. She could feel her eyes water at hearing such a development. She so desperately wanted Twilight to be alright. The mental trauma was enough to deal with and she was willing to help her student in any way she could to make a full recovery on that front. These physical aspects, however, did not bode well. What the doctor said before about her impossibly quick recovery from her savage beating, coupled with this development, meant that further action was needed.

"I have already scheduled Twilight for daily check-ups with the doctors. I supposed we would need to add testing to that regime. Do not worry. I will speak to her about this. Thank you for letting me know, Luna," she said as she embraced her sister in a quick hug.

Luna returned the hug as she stood up and turned around to go back into her room. She heard her older sibling clear her throat, and she stiffened. She sighed in defeat, hanging her head and closing her eyes. She turned back around, expecting the usual ribbing from elder sibling.

"Yes?" Luna asked flatly.

"I just wanted to say thank you. You've done an amazing job here, little sister. I…I know I haven't been as much help to you as I should have, but that is going to change, I promise," she said.

Luna just gave her a soft smile. The words warmed her heart. Not only was her sibling acknowledging her hard work, but also she was admitting to her that this whole ordeal affected her more than she realized. It was a big step, and showed a certain humility that the sun goddess rarely exuded.

"I'm your sister, Tia. We may have had our differences in the past, but we are family, and you will always be able to count on me," Luna answered.

Celestia smiled and nodded before speaking again.

"Don't worry about lowering the moon this morning. I'll do it. You've earned a break, little sister," she said.

Luna's eyes widened at the generosity. There were tears in her eyes as she pulled her sister into a hug again.

"Thank you, Tia!" She whispered.

"And if I get the juicy details, I'll do it for the next week!" The sun goddess teased as they broke the embrace.

"Go away, Tia," Luna stated flatly, as she shut the door in her sister's giggling face.

Celestia was growing impatient. She had already knocked on the door of Twilight Sparkle's chambers twice, and there was still no answer. At first, she thought that maybe the mare was in the bathroom, so she put her ear to the door to see if she could hear any running water, but there was nothing but silence. After waiting a few more moments, she knocked again. She really didn't have time for this. She had just promised Luna that she would take care of the moon before sunrise. After the talk their talk, the last thing she wanted to do was go back on her word. Her sister deserved the night off, and she was determined to make that notion a reality. She knocked again, this time more forcefully.

"Twilight? It's me, Princess Celestia. I need to talk to you," she stated, her voice raised slightly.

There was still no answer, and she couldn't hear any shuffling or noise of any sort coming from the room. She had enough. Even though she was a princess, she made it a point to respect a pony's privacy. Time was of the essence, however, and she simply couldn't wait any longer. Using her magic, she unlocked the door, pushing it open as it creaked slightly. The room was dark, but with some help from the moonlight from outside, she could still see decently. Her eyes traveled from the bed, which was quite disheveled to the entryway to the bathroom. There were no signs of Twilight anywhere. Worry began to take control of the princess, as she got a terrible feeling at the pit of her stomach. This wasn't like her student. She was so emotionally drained after today's event's she expected the unicorn to be fast asleep and snoring. Where was she? As she moved deeper into the room, her eyes made their way to the far wall, facing the garden. She began approaching the window, thoughts of her student's whereabouts weighing heavy on her mind.

'_No one has seen her, and she isn't in her room. Then where could she…no!' _She thought to herself as she picked up her pace.

Her eyes went wide as her heart began to pound faster. She rushed over to the window, worry etched onto her face. Opening it quickly, she stuck her neck out into the cool night air. She began calling her students name like a mother shouting for a lost foul. After a few moments, she stood still, hoping with all her might for an answer. Again, silence was all she received. She brought her neck back inside and again called her students name, and again, no answer came. She began to tremble at the thought of what might have happened to her pupil, every scenario, each worse than the next playing itself out in her mind as she ran out the door into the hallway. She could only utter one word as she felt tears begin to stream down her face.

"GUARDS!"

Rainbow Dash couldn't help but smile as she felt the air hit her wings. It took all of her willpower to stop herself from doing any elaborate tricks. Her wings were still stiff from being grounded by Princess Luna. It wasn't that she didn't respect the princess, but her non-flight policy finally became too much for the pegasus to bear. It went against whom she was not being able to fly. She frowned as she thought about it. Of all her friends, Luna was the only one who specifically ordered her to go against her destiny, and she should know better. The cutie mark on her flank represented many things in Rainbow Dash's eyes. Loyalty, for sure, but also her love of soaring through the clouds. It was so unfair, and she just couldn't take being stuck in the castle anymore. This is what she was meant to do, and she refused to feel bad or ashamed about it, regardless of royal decree. She could never have done this with so many of the royal guards around, but there seemed to be some sort of crisis in the palace. She heard hoof steps outside of her room, and when she opened the door, she saw groups of royal guards rushing around like Fluttershy's wild chickens. She stopped one of them to ask what was going on. He barely halted long enough to speak to her. He assured her that everything was all right, but then he asked her a funny question. He inquired if she was alone in her room. The question confused her, but she answered honestly, advising the guard that she was alone and had been alone of the whole night. He thanked her and then ran off. She had always been a curious creature, and wanted to know more, but the guard was gone in a flash before she could make any inquiries of her own. Whatever it was, they seemed to be on high alert. That was the moment she felt a conflict rise within her. She could go back into her room and ignore what just happened or she could investigate the situation further. She then looked out the window, seeing Luna's moon and the beautiful night sky that beckoned her. It would be less than admirable of her to take advantage of such a situation, but her wings screamed for release. She thought long and hard about it, but in the end, the worse part of her soul won out, as she opened her window and took flight. There were no royal guards to be found, just as she suspected. They were all looking for someone in the castle, it seemed, so there were no soldiers outside at all.

'_Just a quick flight over the city to stretch my wings, and then I'll be back in no time," _she thought to herself as she gazed down at the metropolitan lights that shined through the capital.

She cursed under her breath as she began to concentrate on her flight again. She had been so lost in thought that she must have wandered into an unfamiliar area of the city. The pegasus wasn't that disappointed, however. This seemed to be a different part of town than the stuffy areas of the capital she was used to seeing. There were spotlights and many ponies dressed in different and even provocative outfits that she had never seen before lining the streets as they entered and exited many of the posh clubs on the strip. As she flew down to get a closer look at the scene, she noticed a shadow on one of the rooftops ahead of her. She slowed down to get a better look, and gasped at the sight. It was Twilight Sparkle. There was no mistaking it.

'_Twilight? Isn't she supposed to be at the castle?' _The mare thought to herself as she descended, quietly landing on the other side of the roof.

The pegasus felt synchronized thumping through her hooves, as she looked down. If she had to guess, this was some sort of music club. What was Twilight doing in a place like this? Even at her most adventurous, she was never this much of a partier. She frowned as she looked up. Every new fact she learned about her former friend made her wonder if she ever really knew her at all. She sighed softly at the thought as approached Twilight slowly. It seemed as though the unicorn hadn't noticed her yet.

'_I guess I should say something. I don't want to startle her,' _the Cloudsdale resident thought to herself as she stopped.

"Are you here to kill me?" Twilight asked.

Rainbow Dash gasped, as she stiffened up at the question. How did she know she was there?

"Twilight, it's me, Rainbow Dash. Why would you think that I wanted to… what are you doing out here?!" The pegasus inquired as she again began slowly approaching her former friend.

"What do you care? I know you hate me! You wanted me to stay dead, right? Me being here. It hurts you to see me alive," Twilight said as her voice began to crack.

The unicorn brought her right hoof up and brought it across her chest, hugging herself tightly. She heard Rainbow Dash's hooves as the flyer continued to make her way over to her.

"Twi…look, I… I don't…I don't hate you. Or, at least I think I don't," Rainbow Dash said as she sat down, scratching the back of her head with her left hoof.

"Then what are you doing here?!" Twilight shouted, turning her back once again to her former friend.

Rainbow Dash sighed as she got back up again. She gingerly made her way over to the unicorn and sat just behind her. She didn't really know what to say. When Twilight first came back, her initial reaction was anger and distrust. She got even angrier after their argument during their last session, but what she saw now really opened her eyes to the truth. Twilight was a very disturbed pony. She wasn't the monster that the flyer thought she was. When she asked that question, she could sense genuine fear in the scholar's voice. She had truly thought that Rainbow Dash had come to murder her. The fear was something different from anything she heard. There was a despair and sadness within the words that the pegasus had never heard from a pony before. As she sat there, looking up at the stars, her mindset began to change.

"I think I'm here for the same reason you are, Twi," she started, as she saw her former friend's neck twist towards her.

"I needed to get out of the castle. Princess Luna grounded me. She wouldn't let me fly at all. Hay, I wasn't even allowed to hover in the castle. Something was going on right before I left, and…I think I know what happened, now that I see that you're here. I think there is a massive search going on at the palace right now, and I think they are all looking for you, Twilight," She whispered.

Suddenly, the door to the roof flew open, as a voice shouting the unicorn's name echoed from the hallway. Stepping out into the night, Nurse Redheart turned around only to be greeted by the new arrival. The medical professional's eyes went wide with apprehension. What was Rainbow Dash doing here? What did Twilight tell her? There were a thousand thoughts going through her mind right now, but the one that was paramount vocalized.

"Twilight, are you alright?" She asked urgently.

"Nurse Redheart? What in Equestria are you doing here?! Aren't you supposed to be back at the palace?!" Rainbow Dash shouted suspiciously.

"Oh, well, you see, my shift was over, so I went into the city to grab a drink and that's when I met up with Twilight," the earth pony explained nervously.

"So you two planned this?!" The rainbow-maned mare yelled.

"No, Rainbow Dash. You were right. I needed to get away. I had… an episode…with Fluttershy, and…I just couldn't be there anymore. And now, I don't think I can go back," Twilight cried, her head drooping as she sobbed.

"What do you mean, you can't go back?! You have to! Twilight, when I left there were guards running around all over the place! They asked me if I was alone! How much longer do you think it will be before the Princess finds out about your little field trip?!" Rainbow Dash asked as the volume of her voice began to rise again.

"You don't understand…" Twilight whispered.

"Twilight, come on…" Rainbow Dash started.

"LOOK AT ME!" Twilight screamed as she whirled around facing her former friend.

The pregasus' eyes went wide as she looked at Twilight. Between the moonlight and spotlights from the clubs below, Rainbow Dash was able to see the unicorn's face.

"No!" The Cloudsdale resident gasped as she took a step back.

"You remember that day, don't you? When you and Rarity came to see me after what I did to Trixie? That horrible, horrible thing I did to her? Look at my face and tell me what you see!" Twilight Sparkle screamed through the tears.

Rainbow Dash just nodded. Her face and neck looked the same. It looked just like it did that day so many months ago, the day that everything started. What was she going to do? What could she do? She wasn't prepared for this. She tried to form words, but she could only utter a faint whimper.

"TELL ME WHAT YOU SEE!" The unicorn screamed again before breaking into sobs, and collapsing to the ground.

The former element of loyalty didn't say a word. She couldn't even think. Finally, Nurse Redheart approached her and began to speak.

"Rainbow, do you know what's going on? Do you know what's happening to Twilight?" She asked urgently.

Again, the pegasus just nodded. Twilight looked up at her former friend. Her eyes were wide, and the look on her face began to bring tears to Rainbow's eyes as she spoke again.

"I… I don't want to become a monster again! I'd kill myself before I put any other pony though another nightmare like that, but… but I can't go back to Tartarus! They hurt me so much there, I can't go back! Rainbow, what do I do?! Please, tell me what to do!" Twilight wailed.

Any malice that Rainbow Dash had towards the former element of magic faded in that moment. She cursed herself for being so selfish. Twilight had put them through horrors that no other pony could imagine, but seeing her here now, in so much pain, changed her attitude completely. Twilight was a broken mare, helpless and trapped, with no way out. She may have hated her before, but she couldn't hate her now, not after seeing her like this. This time, they will do it right. She'll be here for Twilight, like she should have been before. A look of determination replaced the look of terror she once had. She was still scared inside, but she needed to be strong. She needed to be there for her friend. She bent down, nudging her friend with her muzzle. Twilight looked up at her as she spoke.

"It'll be ok, Twilight. This time, we're going to do it right. Let's talk to Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. Together, we will figure this out. We won't lose you again, do you hear me? Now, come on let's go, ok?" She whispered into the former librarian's ear.

Twilight couldn't help but smile at the confidence in Rainbow Dash's voice. They both stood up slowly, still trying to reassure each other through their smiles.

"There are probably Royal Guards roaming around here at this point. We should probably find one of them and let them know that they can stop their search," the pegasus stated.

Twilight began to back away as her eyes narrowed. She knew it. Through all the tears and all the words, Rainbow Dash just showed her true colors. She didn't care about her! She wanted her to be locked away! She wanted her to suffer! She wouldn't let her do it, though. Not after what she found out about herself tonight.

"Why do you want to find the Royal Guards, Rainbow Dash?! We could just go back to Canterlot now, and no one would know! Do you want them to arrest me?!" Twilight shouted.

Rainbow dash was taken aback by the words. She calmed down, however, once she realized what was happening. She saw this before on the day they were talking about earlier, and through her sessions with the others. One of the symptoms of Twilight's transformation was her severe paranoia. She knew she needed to do something quickly to quell the fire.

"Twilight, it's ok, no one is going to arrest you. Calm down, alright? I just thought they should know now before turning the capital inside out looking for you, that's all, I swear," the pegasus said in the most serene voice she could muster.

It didn't work, however. Nurse Redheart saw this reaction before in other patients she treated over the years. Paranoid delusions would often take over the minds of the unbalanced. That, coupled with her freakish strength created a very dangerous situation. She needed to warn the light cerulean mare.

"Rainbow Dash, be careful, Twilight is…" her statement was cut off as Twilight tackled Rainbow Dash to the ground, causing the former element of loyalty to grunt.

Twilight pinned her to the ground as she stared into her former friend's eyes.

"I know what you were trying to do! You said it yourself, how you would never forgive me! And now, you want to throw me away, is that it? You don't have the guts to do it yourself, so you've gotten some help from Princess Celestia's army! You can't control me! No one controls me!" She shouted as she shook with anger.

Rainbow Dash was truly frightened. Twilight had her pinned and she couldn't move. Twilight's strength was too much for her. Her eyes went wide with fear, as she tried to speak again.

"Twi..Twilight, please! I swear, I wasn't trying to hurt you! I want to help you, please, let me go, and we can go back to the palace! You need help!" The Cloudsdale resident whimpered.

"Twilight, let her go, please! No one wants to hurt you!" Nurse Redheart shouted, as her fear began to rise.

Twilight noticed the pegasus begin to flap her wings. It was probably just a reaction from being pinned so tightly. It did give her an idea, however.

"You want to take my freedom from me? Well, I'll just have to take something from you!" Twilight yelled, as she struck the mare on the right side of her face, dazing her as she turned over on her belly.

Twilight straddled her back as she stomped down on the flyer's right wing and rainbow colored mane. She opened her mouth and bit down as hard as she could into Rainbow Dash's left wing. The pegasus screamed in pain, as she raised her head. She couldn't thrash as her head was held firmly in place by her mane caught under Twilight's hoof.

"TWILGHT, STOP! YOU'RE HURTING HER!" Nurse Redheart screamed as she looked on helplessly.

"Twi…Twilight, please…please, stop…my wing…it hurts…please stop…" Rainbow Dash sobbed, paralyzed by the pain.

Blood began to drip from the unicorn's maw, as she began to wretch the trembling wing back and forth, causing Rainbow Dash to cry out louder than before. Nurse Redheart had to do something. She knew she wasn't a physical match for Twilight, so just tackling her was out of the question. It would only put her and the now injured Rainbow Dash in more danger. She needed to get the unicorn to see through the illusion her mind created. To bring her back to reality, somehow. She approached Twilight slowly and gingerly, as she spoke up again, using every modicum of restraint to keep her voice even.

"Twilight, Rainbow Dash is your friend. The Twilight Sparkle I know doesn't hurt her friends. Please, stop this. She's no match for you," she stated.

Twilight stopped pulling on the wing in her mouth as she looked at the medical professional. She still bit down hard, as a dark, syrupy puddle began to form under her hooves. It was a start, but Nurse Redheart had to see this through.

"You are so important to us, Twilight. We all want you to be ok. Please. Let her go," she whispered as she put a hoof on her friend's shoulder.

Twilight's gaze softened at the earth pony's words. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply. When she opened them again, she whimpered at the sight of Rainbow Dash moaning underneath her. Nurse Redheart was right. She was hurting one of her friends. She immediately let the wing go, as she began to back away, taking her hooves off Rainbow Dash.

"I…I'm sorry, I…I don't…" she stammered.

The unicorn began to panic. She couldn't think straight, as her eyes darted back and forth. Her breathing became labored, as the blood she swallowed began to invade her taste buds, causing her to feel sick to her stomach. She needed to get out of there. She needed to remove herself from the situation. She summoned her magic and in a flash, she was gone, leaving Nurse Redheart to take care of a very injured pegasus.

Wow, that was probably my longest chapter yet! Please review and let me know what you think! Also, "No Rarity. I'm your princess now." Well, I Twilight really is, huh? Anyway, please review!


	10. Chapter 10

Nurse Redheart wiped more tears from her eyes as she continued to stare at the monitors. It hurt her greatly to see one of her friends in a hospital bed, unconscious, with wires and machines now attached to her body. What was supposed to be a quiet night with her own thoughts had become a nightmare. After Twilight disappeared, the medical professional checked Rainbow Dash's unconscious form, as her medicinal training took over. Her vitals were stable, but her wing was badly damaged. Twilight's bite had crushed part of the bone and torn the muscle. There was no way she could move her, so she ran to the edge of the roof as quickly as she could and began screaming for help. This was a move out of pure desperation, as she hoped with all her might that her voice would carry over the crowd below and the music thumping through the floor. Seconds felt like hours as she screamed as loud as her voice would let her. The pegasus' instinct about the royal guards patrolling the area was proved right as a few appeared from the crowd, flying up to the roof. After that, everything was a blur. The guards carried the two mares back to the castle, as fast as they could, after Nurse Redheart secured Rainbow Dash's wing as best she was able. Once they got to the castle, she had the soldiers rush her friend to the infirmary, causing a panic in the hallways of the palace. Royal guards screaming orders, doctors running, and getting Rainbow Dash on a gurney. She hadn't been allowed to help in the triage as she was still under the influence of alcohol, but there wasn't a pony alive who could drag her from the Cloudsdale resident's side right now. Well, maybe there was one…

"TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED! RIGHT NOW! WHERE IS TWILIGHT?!" Princess Celestia screamed as the door to the makeshift hospital room flew open.

Nurse Redheart yelped as she fell away from the alicorn whose angry eyes were now mere inches from her own.

"I…I'm sorry, Princess, but I don't know where Twilight Sparkle is! She just teleported away! There was nothing I could do, I'm sorry!" The nurse pleaded.

Suddenly, only the sound of the monitors could be heard, echoing around them in the sterile room. For a few moments, they just stared at each other, until the princess' nostrils flared. Her eyes narrowed, as she raised her head up, looking down with fury at the earth pony below her. Alcohol. It was all over her breath.

"You are going to tell me everything, Redheart! EVERYTHING! Do you understand me?!" Celestia seethed.

Nurse Redheart was shaking as she stared wide-eyed at the alicorn in front of her. She wanted to say something, but she was too scared. She willed a voice, any sound at all, to leave her body, but she was petrified under the princess' gaze. Suddenly, another voice came from the doorway, startling both of them.

"TIA! What is the matter with you?! You're scaring her half to death! You aren't going to get any answers this way, you know that!" Princess Luna shouted as she slowly entered the room.

The sun princess turned, glaring at her younger sister. She walked slowly over to her, her jaw clenched in anger.

"Stay out of this, Luna! I smell it on her breath!" She spat, as her horn began to glow.

"Tia…sister…please calm down. You're better than this. Nurse Redheart is terrified. Can't you see that?" Princess Luna said in the most even voice she could muster.

The elder alicorn closed her eyes, as she sighed deeply. Her younger sibling was right. Frightening a poor earth pony was not going to get her any closer to finding her pupil. What she needed was information, and thundering about in a rage wouldn't help the situation, but rather hinder it. She kept her eyes closed as she felt her sister embrace her tight.

"Please. I know you're worried about her. We all are. But you have to be strong, even at your weakest. Just remember that I'm here to help you. I will always be here to help you," The princess of the moon whispered.

As Luna felt her sister's neck move up and down, nodding, she broke the hug, greeting her sister with a smile as Celestia opened her eyes again.

"I will talk to Nurse Redheart. Go ahead and wait outside. Take a minute to collect yourself. I'll be out in a moment, alright?" Luna said sweetly.

Princess Celestia didn't say anything as she walked out the door, leaving Luna and earth pony alone. At first, the medical professional began to tremble again, thinking that she was in store for the same treatment from the younger sister as she was the elder. A smile from the alicorn set her mind at ease at least for the time being. Luna approached her slowly, finally sitting down next to her. Turning her head to Rainbow Dash's unconscious form, a frown replaced the soft smile she wore.

"How is she?" Luna asked.

"Twilight…bit her," Nurse Redheart stammered.

"What?!" Luna grimaced, as she turned to stare at the mare wide-eyed.

Nurse Redheart just nodded as tears began to form in her eyes again. She was so emotionally drained from her experience tonight that she didn't know how much energy she had left in her. She felt a wing caress her back as she looked over at Princess Luna.

"Just tell me what happened. I know that my sister frightened you, but you are not in trouble, I can assure you," the moon princess whispered.

"I…I just. I needed a change of scenery, that's all. I went to this little bar that I heard about from the Royal Guards, right by the castle. I…I know that might seem weak of me, but I just wanted to be alone with my thoughts, you know? I know I don't need to tell you this, but this whole ordeal has been so overwhelming. I've never seen ponies in such states before. So broken, and in despair. I… I think what finally made me lose my nerve was something that happened a little over a week ago," she said, her voice beginning to crack.

"It's alright. Go on," Luna encouraged.

"I… I was doing my rounds late that night, when I heard screaming. Terrible screaming, coming from Fluttershy's room. I ran as fast as I could, and when I went into her room, I saw she wasn't in her bed. I heard more screaming coming from the bathroom. When I went in there….the stench…. I'll never forget it as long as I live. She…she was asleep in the bathtub, holding her head. I tried to shake her awake, and finally she woke up. She just stared at me. She had…she's a friend, Princess. I used to see her walk around Ponyville, I went to parties where she was there, and here she was, in a puddle of her own filth, begging me to take the pain away! To…to do anything to make it stop, and…and I couldn't! Th…there was nothing I could do! My friend was wallowing in her own urine, and I couldn't do anything to help her!" The nurse sobbed.

She turned and embraced the princess, who accepted the hug, and began stoking the mare's back, doing her best to comfort her.

"Shhh. It's ok," Luna whispered, trying to calm her down.

"I know it's difficult, but you have to tell me what happened with Twilight. You are our only lead right now. Please, just tell me what happened," Luna said again as she broke the embrace.

The earth pony just nodded, as she wiped the tears from her eyes and sighed, doing her best to get her emotions under control before speaking again.

"I…I had a few drinks at the bar, and when I left, Twilight Sparkle was calling to me outside the entrance. We talked for a few moments. I was surprised to see her out of the castle, as I thought she wasn't allowed to leave the grounds until Princess Celestia had cleared her. She seemed so down. She… she said that she just needed to get away from the castle for a little while. She told me how the others were treating her, and that she didn't want to be around them. How could I blame her? These were the same things I was feeling, right? She talked me into going to this part of town where there was a bunch of clubs. It was…interesting, to say the least. Well, we found a club that looked nice, and we went inside to have a few drinks. Twilight was dancing up a storm. I was worried about her. I…I figured, if I couldn't convince her to go back to the palace right away, then I could at least accompany her to make sure she was alright. We…we sat down on one of the couches, and that's when things got…weird," she said.

"Weird?" Princess Luna pressed further.

"W…well, when we sat down, she started asking me questions. About…how I wore my mane. And…and then she told me how pretty I was. She began to… touch me. I… I got uncomfortable, so I excused myself to the restroom. She…she followed me in and…well… she pinned me up against the wall. She kissed me. I didn't want it to happen, but… Princess, her strength was unlike anything I've ever felt! No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't move. I had to think quickly, so I tried playing along," she said.

"What do you mean by 'playing along'?" Luna inquired curiously.

Nurse Redheart's eyes widened and her throat let out a small yelp at the question. She was embarrassed by her answer, but she knew she had to focus on replying to the princess.

"I…well… I asked her if she wanted to play doctor," the medical professional whispered.

Luna's nose crinkled at the thought, but her lips soon curled in a soft smile. If the situation weren't so dire, she would have laughed aloud. She had to give credit where it was due. The nurse's idea was certainly original. Luna grunted signaling the earth pony to continue.

"I… I asked her some questions, trying to get as much information as possible, when suddenly, she just stopped," Nurse Redheart explained.

"Why did she stop?" Luna asked.

"Before I went to the bathroom, I noticed, she was scratching her neck and face furiously. I didn't know what to make of it. When she… had me pinned, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. She froze. It… it was like she saw a ghost! After I… calmed down, I tried to ask her what happened, and she just ran off," the earth pony stated.

"So, then how did Rainbow Dash become involved?" Luna pried further.

"I couldn't find her in the club. I tried to think about where she might go. She seemed to be in such a fragile state that I thought she might have gone up to the roof to try to get away from the crowds in the club and out on the streets. When I went up there, Rainbow Dash was up there with her. They looked to be discussing something. Rainbow yelled at me, but then she started talking to Twilight again. I couldn't really hear what they were saying but Twilight screamed at her, and Rainbow Dash just froze! She…she tried to convince her to come back with us to the castle, but Twilight lost it when Rainbow Dash suggested we should alert the royal guards. She tackled Rainbow, hitting her in the face, and then she bit down on her wing. She looked like she was going to try to tear it off. I… I did my best to calm her down, and finally she snapped out of it. Then she just teleported away. You know the rest after the guards found us," Nurse Redheart said.

Luna nodded, as she stood up to leave. This was worse than she thought. Twilight's mind was still going back and forth between sanity and madness. Her skills in magic were second only to herself and her fellow alicorns, and to top it all off, she had otherworldly physical strength. They needed to find her, and quickly, not just for her own safety, but for the safety of everyone she might come into contact with as well as her sister's own piece of mind.

"I'm… I'm really not in trouble?" Nurse Redheart asked sheepishly.

"No. Just before this incident, I had an encounter with Twilight, where I too felt her physical power. There was no way you would have been able to make her to return to the castle. If anything, had you forced the issue you would have been in mortal danger," the princess answered as she looked back at Rainbow Dash's unconscious form.

"You did what you could to look out for her, and for that I am appreciative, Nurse Redheart," Luna stated, as she turned to walk away.

"Th… thank you, princess," Nurse Redheart said as she bowed to the princess right before she exited the makeshift hospital room.

Rarity was thankful for the robe she wore as she made her way down the hallway in between her Royal Guard escort. It hid the semi-fresh bruises that now adorned her body. She would have been both confused and intrigued had her mind not been preoccupied with her recent incident with Twilight Sparkle. The three guards who now surrounded her had to knock quite a few times before she was able to pull herself out of the bathroom. Ever since her lover left her to go back to work after that horrible night, she became a bundle of nerves. Everything she tried to do to calm herself down was for naught, and soon her anxiety reached its breaking point. Not long before the Royal Guards showed up at her doorstep, she rushed to the bathroom and began vomiting. She thought it was somewhat of a blessing that she didn't have an appetite, as she emptied what little contents her stomach contained. What she was forced to do sickened her, but how she would handle it became a whole other nightmare. Twilight's threats were too intimate to be ignored. Whom could she tell? She knew she could never face her fellow unicorn down again, as she was completely outclassed. If she couldn't fight back, and she couldn't tell anyone, what was she to do? Now, she was on her way to see the princesses, in some sort of confab. Given the recent events, she shivered at the thought of the princesses knowing what happened. Even if she did risk telling them, the last thing she wanted to do was relive the experience by giving the royal sisters an explanation. With each step she took, however, curiosity began to replace fear. She saw squads of guards running from room to room, in some sort of frantic search. Whatever was happening did not seem to involve her, which relieved her greatly, but also began to raise more questions. Finally, the group turned and entered the palace dining room, where she saw her friends, the princesses, Spike and even Big Mackintosh.

'_What's he doing here at this hour? What in the world is going on?' _She thought to herself as she walked in to greet the group while the guards waited outside.

"Good. You're here. Now we can begin," Princess Luna stated.

Rarity eyed everyone in the room carefully. Most of them looked as bewildered as she was as to why they were called here. Spike seemed to wear a scowl, which was a bit off-putting, given his new size. It wasn't exactly intimidating, but his newfound maturity shined through, making him look a bit more formidable then in the past. The one who really worried her was Princess Celestia. She had never seen her like this before. She was usually a beacon of calmness and serenity, but now she was shaking. The unicorn could tell that she had been crying. Her train of thought was broken as Princess Luna spoke again.

"I'm sure you are all wondering why you are here right now. There has been a development. Twilight Sparkle is… missing," she said.

Everyone gasped, as they looked at each other. The moon princess tried to gage their reactions, but they all seemed to be the same.

"What do you mean missing?!" Fluttershy asked as she began to shiver.

"For those who don't know, There was an incident earlier today. Twilight lost control of herself while talking to Fluttershy, and she was taken to the infirmary. After my sister got her to calm down, she sent her back to her room to get some rest. When Princess Celestia went to check on her, she wasn't there. We've ordered a search of the castle and the city, as I'm sure you've seen the guards by now. About an hour ago, Nurse Redheart came in with a very injured Rainbow Dash. Nurse Redheart ran into Twilight downtown. They had gone to a club in the city, where Twilight had another… episode and attacked Ms. Dash. She is currently stable, but unconscious," Luna explained.

"She…she hurt Dashie?" Pinkie Pie whispered, looking down at the marble floor in front of her.

"From this point on, the castle is in complete lockdown. You will have guards posted outside all of your rooms, and you are not to roam the grounds without an escort. We are doing this for your own safety. Twilight's mind is breaking down. She is not herself, and if you do see her, do not approach her. If you do encounter her, do what she says until back up arrives. We are not sure why, but her physical strength has increased immensely, and that combined with her mental instability puts anyone she comes into contact with in grave danger. We will do our best to find her, but our other priority is keeping you safe. Do I make myself clear?" Luna answered in a steady voice.

"Wait a sec. Did you say 'increased physical strength?'?" Applejack asked.

"Yes, Applejack. She is much stronger than any unicorn, or even any earth pony," Luna said.

Applejack gasped, as her eyes went wide. She looked back and forth nervously, as she brought her hoof to her mouth. The moon princess noticed the sign. It was clear that the mare knew something.

"Is there something that we should know, Applejack?" The dark coated alicorn inquired.

"W… well. Ah dunno if there's a connection, but… when she started to change… before… she was… strong… like really strong, stronger even than mah brother! You… you don't think…" Applejack stammered, as her knees began to shake.

"NO!" Pinkie Pie screamed as she practically jumped to her hooves.

Everyone, including the princesses, was startled by the pink party mare's harsh reaction to Applejack's implication. She clenched her jaw, bearing her teeth like an angry timber wolf as she stomped slowly towards Applejack. Her fellow earth pony braced herself for an incoming blow, as she thought Pinkie Pie was going to attack her. Her friends had seen her like this before, but this was different. Pinkie Pie was literally shaking with anger, doing her best to stop the tears from rolling down her face. She wasn't successful.

"DON'T YOU DARE SAY THAT! YOU… YOU JUST HATE HER, THAT'S ALL! YOU HATE THAT SHE'S BACK, YOU… SHE WENT TO ALL OF YOU BEGGING FOR FORGIVENESS, BUT NONE OF YOU WOULD LISTEN! YOU'LL LOOK FOR ANY REASON TO KEEP HATING HER!" Pinkie Pie screamed at her friend, while poking her in the chest with her hoof.

"Pinkie, that's enough," Big Mac said calmly, as he stepped in between them.

"Pinkie Pie, we do not know what is causing her bizarre symptoms. We should not jump to conclusions, but we need to consider every possibility. Please, calm down, this isn't helping anyone," Princess Luna said, stepping forward.

The pink earth pony turned and looked at Princess Luna. She was just like the others. What was there to consider? This was a new Twilight Sparkle- unchanged and undamaged by those horrid creations so many months ago. To suggest, even for a moment, that Twilight was changing again was callous and shameful. Suddenly, her eyes went wide as she thought about the current speculation.

'_He… he said this might happen! I… I didn't think it could, but… No! I can't think like that! She… she's just confused! She'll be ok, she's just…'_ Pinkie Pie thought to herself as she walked slowly towards Princess Celestia.

If anyone could see her point of view, it was Princess Celestia. Pinkie Pie knew that no matter what Twilight might have done in the past, the princess would always love her. She looked up and into the eyes of the white alicorn, and she could see a reflection of her own feelings.

"Princess, please! We… we have to find her! She's… she's out there, all alone and she's scared! I know she is! She thinks her friends hate her! We have to get her back! You have to do something! Please!" Pinkie Pie stammered, as she collapsed in front of the sun goddess.

As she sobbed quietly, she felt a wing brush over her shoulder. She looked up again at Princess Celestia who was offering her a comforting smile. Pinkie Pie smiled back, although neither smile was sincere, and they both knew it. They were just masks, a vain attempt to hide their shared insecurities and worry of the unknown.

"We… we are doing everything we can, Pinkie. But, you have to be strong. For her. We will find her, I promise," the alicorn whispered, as she embraced the earth pony in a hug.

Princess Luna made her way down the hall and the guards did their best to keep out of her path. She wore a scowl, which was quite off-putting, and no one dared approach her in fear of angering her further. In the past three days, her sister organized the search for her missing student. However, it yielded no results, and only contributed to angering Celestia further. Luna had finally convinced her sibling to get some rest, but it hadn't been easy. She tried to be nice, as she knew her sister was in a very fragile state, but their discussion soon devolved into a fight. She hated fighting with her sister, as it reminded her of the mistakes she made so long ago, even if she knew she was in the right. As she came to the infirmary door, she raised her hoof to knock, but she shook her head as she just entered instead. She was done with formalities, and wanted answers. A guard informed her that Rainbow Dash was awake, and the dark coated alicorn made having a talk with her about her recent actions her first priority. She disobeyed an explicit command of the princess, and she needed to know why. As she walked in, she observed a nurse putting something in a medical saddlebag, as she turned to see the princess.

"Princess Luna! I was just changing Ms. Dash's bandages. Her surgery was a success, and…" the nurse began.

"Thank you. I trust your services are no longer required?" Princess Luna asked flatly.

The nurse practically jumped, startled at the response. She was about to open her mouth again to speak, when she was interrupted again by her superior.

"No, you have not done anything wrong. I merely wish to speak to Ms. Dash… alone," she stated coldly.

The nurse knew better than to protest. She gave a quick bow and quickly exited the sterile makeshift hospital room, leaving the princess with the young flyer. Rainbow Dash's glare would have taken her off guard has she not already been angry herself.

"Ms. Dash, I believe we have some items to discuss," the moon princess started as she walked to the side of the flyer's bed.

"Seriously?! I'm a few days out of surgery, and you wanna yell at me?!" Rainbow Dash inquired roughly.

"You disobeyed my explicit order! I forbade you from flying so you could actually deal with the pain inside you! You kept running away from your problems, so my only choice was to ground you! I didn't like doing it, but your defiance left me no choice! What do you have to say for yourself?!" Luna inquired, her volume growing with every word.

"What do I have to say for myself?! What about you, Princess?!" Rainbow Dash retorted.

Luna was losing patience with each passing second. Once again, Rainbow Dash was taking a very disrespectful and rebellious tone. Usually, the princess would just smile to herself and admire the pegasus' spunk, but with recent events, she had no time for games.

"Watch your tone! Do you remember who you're talking to?!" The dark coated alicorn shouted.

"Of course I remember! How could I forget the pony who took away the ONE THING that made me special! The pony that denied me the use of my special talent! I mean, really, did you ever stop to think that MAYBE flying IS how I think?! That flying might be the way I deal with things because when I'm in the air, alone with my thoughts, I just might be able to work things out?! That maybe I'm not the best wordsmith out there and that I may have trouble expressing myself by gabbing away?! No, NONE of that EVER entered your mind, did it?!" Rainbow Dash shouted back.

Luna stared at the pegasus blankly, as she sat on her haunches. Rainbow Dash was right. She should have known better. Most ponies had an activity that they used as a conduit for working things out. Some used their hooves to build things, some sewed or cooked. She denied Rainbow Dash the use of her wings, and therefore the use of her special talent. It would have driven anyone mad, not being able to be who they were. She also never considered that talking things out might be harder for some because they simply had trouble expressing themselves in the first place, rather than be intentionally keeping their feelings bottled up.

"Rainbow Dash… I…I'm sorry," Princess Luna whispered.

"You…you are?" The pegasus inquired, awestruck at the change she saw in the princess.

"Yes. You are right. I was… misguided…in believing that the same treatments I'd been using based on the doctors recommendations were one size fits all. I made you deny yourself, and for that, I sincerely apologize. Please understand that it was not done intentionally. What happened…what you all went through...no other pony has ever encountered an experience this horrific and grisly. We are completely at a loss as to how we can help you get through this. I know it's not an excuse for my behavior, but I am sorry," Luna said, her eyes locked onto the ornate marble floor below them.

Rainbow Dash was surprised at the sincerity of the statement. She fully expected to the princess to chastise her, but here she was being humble.

"Look, It's ok. I know you didn't do it to be mean to me. You've been great and believe me, we really appreciate everything you and Princess Celestia have done for us," the pegasus stated.

When Luna looked up, she could see the smile on Rainbow Dash's face, and she quickly felt herself return the smile. All seemed to be forgiven. It was time to start fresh. However, there was another piece of business to take care of first.

"So, what happened with Twilight? It's been three days and no one has heard from her since your…encounter. Anything you can tell us would be of great help, Rainbow Dash," Princess Luna said.

"Honestly, not much. I remember her tacking me, and then I felt a lot of pain. When I woke up from surgery, they told me that Twilight bit down on my wing so hard that it crushed the bone and went through the muscle. I should recover, but it's going to take a while. I must have passed out, so I only remember bits and pieces of our conversation. I just remember that…she was scared. That's all," Rainbow Dash answered.

The alicorn nodded and stood up to leave. She knew it was a long shot, but she needed to try. They had no leads on Twilight's whereabouts and in her condition, she was dangerous. They were back at square one. As she got to the door, she smiled again as she turned her neck back towards the injured pegasus.

"Would you be open to a compromise, Ms. Dash?" Luna inquired slyly.

"What kind of compromise?" Rainbow Dash asked flatly, with a hint of curiosity mixed into her tone.

"When that wing of yours heals, how about flying with me? I still want you to be able to talk about what's on your mind, and express anything that you might be feeling, but as you said, you think better in the clouds. I may even be able to show you a thing or two. What do you say?" Luna asked.

"YES! That sounds awesome! I can't wait! Thank you so much, Princess Luna!" Rainbow answered, as she had to keep herself from jumping out of her bed.

Luna just nodded as she walked out, acknowledging the deal the two of them just made. She was looking forward to working with such a talented flyer, but she had to push those thoughts away, as there were more pressing matters to attend. They needed to find Twilight Sparkle as soon as possible. She knew the consequences would be dire if they didn't.

Princess Celestia looked over another report with a scowl on her face. She flipped through the pages, skimming the data, her brow furrowing even more with each line she read. Finally reaching the last page, she grunted in frustration as she used her magic to throw the packet of papers against the wall of her throne room, startling the three guards who stood in front of her. Ten days. Ten days had passed, and not a single word or sighting of her student. It was infuriating. She had even gone out herself with some of the Wonderbolts a few times, searching the capital city, but they found no evidence of Twilight's whereabouts. She had the Royal Guards going door to door, but there was still no new information. Here she was, up for five days straight, her worry increasing by the minute and the guards bring her these incident reports about a supposed wild animal rummaging through the trash left out by some of the nearby restaurants and sweet shops.

"Tell me, Lieutenant, what exactly was the point of bringing me such useless information?! With Twilight Sparkle still missing, what makes you believe that I would care at all about something as insignificant as a dog or squirrel craving a midnight snack?!" She snapped, as she stomped towards the guards.

"W…well, your highness, you… you asked us to report anything unusual, so…we… we just thought…" The Lieutenant stammered.

"NO! YOU DIDN'T THINK! THAT'S YOUR PROBLEM! HOW DARE YOU WASTE MY TIME WITH SUCH TRIVIAL INFORMATION?! YOU'RE LUCKY I DON'T…" she shouted before she was cut off by another voice

"CELESTIA, THAT'S ENOUGH!" Princess Luna bellowed from the entryway of the main hall.

Luna understood the tremendous stress her sister was under not being able to find her prized pupil, but she was beginning to tire of the anger she'd seen rise up in her sibling. In her eyes, she was only making it more difficult with these angry lectures, as they had the Royal Guards constantly second guessing themselves. At first, the searches had gone smoothly, but by now, the mission turned into a huge debacle. Communication between the squad commanders and Princess Celestia began to break down, as her sister's behavior became more erratic. She would go days without sleeping, and when Luna continued to try to convince her fellow alicorn to get some rest, tempers would flair and the situation would devolve once again into a screaming match. Luna's patience was running thin, but she did her best to hold her tongue. There were moments in her distant past where she said things she would later regret and she'd be damned if she'd repeat those mistakes again. Unfortunately, there is only so much fighting one can do before something unintended slips out, and she was coming dangerously close to that line with each argument the pair had. She turned to the guards now cowering under her sister's glare offering them a sweet smile before speaking.

"Thank you for the information. We will review your findings and give you our report soon. Please, go back to your duties, or if your shift is over, you are free for the rest of the evening," Luna said in the most pleasant voice she could muster.

Before Celestia could react, the stallions bowed and ran away. In a few seconds, they were through the door, leaving the two alicorns in a stare down. The scowls they each wore informed them both that this was not going to be a pleasant conversation.

"How dare you usurp my authority in front of the guards?! That was completely inappropriate, Luna!" Celestia seethed through her teeth, her jaw clenched as she spoke.

"I wouldn't have to, if you were thinking clearly! We talked about this! You have to calm down! You have the guards running in too many different directions, and you should know that! They don't even know what they should be reporting to you!" Luna countered.

"That's ridiculous! They are trained soldiers, Luna! I expect them to carry out their duties just as they were taught!" Celestia exclaimed.

"They can't carry out anything if they don't know what their duties are, Tia! You've always been the one to keep a cool head, but I think you may be becoming too emotionally involved in this!" Luna said, trying her best to keep her voice at an acceptable volume.

Celestia's eyes narrowed as glared at her sister. Was the moon princess actually insinuating that her elder sister was incapable of carrying out her responsibilities? It was a step too far, even for family. It made her blood boil to think that her sister had lost faith in her, and it hurt even more that she was being chastised for becoming emotional about her student. She was tired, furious, and once again, the source of her misery was her own flesh and blood. She kept her rage under control for so long, but she couldn't anymore. Now, it flowed freely, like a river bursting from a dam.

"OF COURSE I'M EMOTIONAL! THIS IS TWILIGHT! I RAISED HER! I NURTURED HER AS I WOULD MY OWN CHILD! NOW SHE'S OUT THERE ALL ALONE AND PROBABLY SCARED OUT OF HER MIND! HOW EXACTLY WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO REACT?!" Princess Celestia screamed.

"PERHAPS WITH SOME COMMON SENSE! MAKING THE GUARDS RUN AROUND LIKE CHICKENS WITHOUT HEADS ISN'T DOING ANYONE ONE ANY GOOD! THEY NEED LEADERSHIP!" Luna retorted forcefully.

"OH, AND WHEN DID YOU BECOME THE EXPERT ON LEADERSHIP, LITTLE SISTER?! HERE'S A TIP; SOMETIMES IT'S NECESSARY TO BE FORCEFULL WITH YOUR TROOPS! WHEN A SITUATION IS THIS DIRE, YOU CAN'T ALWAYS BE SWEET AND GENTLE!" Celestia yelled back.

"OH BELIEVE ME, IF THERE IS ONE THING I KNOW, IT'S THAT YOU HAVE A FORCEFULL SIDE!" Luna shouted.

"OH, HERE WE GO AGAIN! IT'S THE SAME OLD SONG AND DANCE WITH YOU ISN'T IT?! THIS IS NOT ABOUT YOU, LUNA!"

The younger alicorn's eyes widened at the statement. She continued to speak, but her volume lowered to a whisper.

"Wh…what do you mean?" she said softly.

"YOU TRIED TO DESTROY EQUESTRIA! I DID WHAT I HAD TO DO TO SAVE MY LAND! OUR LAND! I'M SORRY YOU'RE STILL UPSET ABOUT IT, BUT STOP USING IT AS AN EXCUSE TO TRY TO WRESTLE CONTROL FROM ME! THIS IS MY KINGDOM! I HAD TO DO EVERYTHING FOR A THOUSAND YEARS, WITH NO HELP, ALL BECAUSE OF YOUR SELFESHNESS! SO DON'T YOU DARE COME IN HERE AND QUESTION MY METHODS! BELIEVE ME WHEN I TELL YOU I'VE HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO PRACTICE ON MY OWN!" Princess Celestia screamed again.

Tears were flowing freely down the side of the moon princess' cheek. Did she really think that she was actually using their history to try to get one over on her, especially at a time like this? Of all the arguments, all the fights, these words hurt Luna most.

"I…I see. After everything I've done for you throughout this crisis. After taking the responsibility of helping the element bearers, and trying to keep you from hiding away like a frightened foal, this is what you think of me? You still look at me like I'm some witch trying to trick you?" She whispered, turning away from her elder sister.

Celestia's eyes widened as the words of her sibling sunk in. Her mind filled with questions, and the one that frightened her most was whether she actually trusted her sister or not. She's been back over two years, and she forgave her younger sibling. Hadn't she? The fact that she may still harbor feelings of betrayal struck her very core. Her knees became weak as she took a few steps towards Luna. Before she could open her mouth to say anything, however, the younger alicorn spoke up.

"You don't deserve to find her," the moon princess seethed as she turned to walk away.

Princess Celesta's jaw dropped as she collapsed where she stood. She wanted to scream at her little sister, but after her recent insinuation, she felt that she deserved such harshness. Her own thoughts betrayed her, and she showed the worst part of herself. But what hurt the most was the fact that she made her little sister cry. After everything she did for her, helping with her student and the other element bearers, taking on so much responsibility, charting new territory, and here was her elder sibling accusing her of being a traitor to the throne.

"LUNA, WAIT!" Celestia cried out desperately, her right hoof reaching out towards her sister.

Luna didn't turn around, but instead disappeared through the large ornate doors that framed the entrance to the throne room. Celestia felt horrible. It took such piercing statements to show her that her little sister was right. She wasn't thinking straight, and she needed rest. As she slowly walked down the steps and through the doorway, she saw the royal guards she scolded earlier. They hadn't left and instead stood at attention in front of her. At first, she felt anger boil up again inside her. Had they listened in on her conversation with her sister? Soon the anger dissipated as she felt her lips curl into a soft smile. She was lucky. They were here for her. She felt grateful to have such wonderful guards at the ready. She bowed her head as she spoke softly.

"I apologize for my behavior. I know I haven't been the best leader I could be right now, and I took out my anger on you. I shouldn't have done that. In the future, I will be sure to communicate more clearly," she stated.

The guards were taken back by the humility. They never saw the princess like this, and they couldn't blame her. Everyone knew what she was going though, and were not angry with her in the least. Finally, the lieutenant stepped forward to speak.

"We serve at the pleasure of the princess, your highness," he said with a smile.

"Thank you, lieutenant. I need to rest. I wish to not be disturbed for the rest of the night, unless you have found Twilight, or unless it's an emergency," she ordered.

"Yes, your highness," he answered with a salute.

Princess Celestia's nose crinkled slightly as she arose from her slumber. What was that smell? Was she dreaming? After tossing and turning for a few minutes, she gazed over at her clock as her grimace deepened. It was almost time to raise the sun. Her body screamed at her to go back to sleep, but her mind new she needed to find out if there was any new information on Twilight. She rolled out of bed and stretched her legs while a mighty yawn escaped her throat. As she drew in a breath, she coughed.

'_What is that stench?! I can taste it, it's so bad!'_ The sun princess thought to herself as she turned towards her bathroom.

The sight of the shrouded form in front of her made her jump as her lungs forced out a scream. After a few seconds of regaining her composure, she studied the figure in detail. Whoever it was, wore a grey coat and was facing her mirror. The princess tried to tilt her head to get a reflection, but the being had its head tilted down, hiding the face. What disturbed her most was the fact that it hadn't been startled when she screamed. As she stepped closer, she began to hear the faint sound of sniffling.

"Who are you? What are you doing in here?" The princess asked in an even voice, trying to upset make the intruder more upset.

"Princess," the figure whispered.

Princess Celestia shot forward, using her right hoof to hook the being's shoulder and whirl it around. The voice was unmistakable, and as she turned around, her hood fell.

"TWILIGHT!" Celestia exclaimed.

Her eyes soon widened in horror as she whimpered at the sight in front of her. Twilight's face looked oily and cracked. There were crevices adorning her face, with a clear milky substance dripping through her pores like sweat. Bald spots were also scattered about her head where most of her mane used to be. She looked down and found the reason for the stench. The remnants of burst pus pockets seeped into the floor. However, what she saw beside her made her want to vomit. There were two fleshy pieces of meat lying there in a puddle of what looked like some sort of mucus. When she looked back up, she brought her hoof to her mouth as she felt tears sting her eyes.

'_Her ears!' _She thought to herself, as she staggered away from her pupil.

"Pr…princess? Please… please help me! Don't let me die! Please…" Twilight stammered through her own tears.

The princess stood up and wrapped her wings around her student bringing her into a hug.

"I'm so scared," Twilight whispered.

"It's going to be alright Twilight. I'm going to help you. If it's the last thing I do, I swear, I'm going to help you," the sun princess answered in the most determined voice she could muster.

Well, here you are folks! Enjoy!


	11. Chapter 11

Twilight Sparkle winced again as another needle pierced her flesh. Once the blood was drawn, and the needle removed, she sighed and relaxed as she felt the right wing of her teacher stroke her back. Over the past hour, the infirmary doctors had been in a frenzy, hooking the unicorn up to various machines, taking readings, and more blood than Twilight ever thought could come out of a pony. She looked up at her mentor, who smiled at her. The gesture did nothing to settle her soul. She knew it was just camouflage, meant to hide her worry. She was a monster again. A freak, and just like a freak, the doctors treated her as if she was nothing more than a test subject. She was a chemical mixture. A horrific biological experiment to be poked, prodded and studied. How ironic that science, her first love, betrayed her so significantly. If the situation weren't so dire, she would have smiled at the irony.

"That's the last one. We will run our tests and report our findings as soon as we have something, your highness," one of the unicorn doctors said before giving the royal alicorn a quick bow and walking away with the vial of liquid levitating in front of him.

He was the last to leave. Once the door shut, only the slight beeps of the monitors echoed off the marble floor and walls. Princess Celestia sat down beside her student's hospital bed, her eyes still puffy from crying. She must have held her pupil for at least a half hour before alerting the doctors. When they saw what her apprentice had become, even as trained professionals, they couldn't hide their looks of horror. After getting over the initial shock, however, they went to work right away, doing their best to maintain their composure. Celestia was worried how her student would take having the doctors, the ones who were supposed to help her, look at her in disgust. Luckily, she seemed to be in a daze and only kept casual attention on those around her. The sun princess' next priority was to send a messenger to tell her sister. At first, she hesitated, but finally, she sent a few guards to alert her after she got Twilight settled into the infirmary bed. She would have expected to see Luna any minute now, if they hadn't argued so viciously only nine or so hours earlier. Now, she wasn't so sure. The elder alicorn needed to push the thoughts about her sibling aside, however. She needed more information on Twilight. Where had she been all this time? Had she hurt anyone? As much as she didn't want to put Twilight through any additional pain, she needed answers.

"Twilight, where were you? I… we were so worried about you," Princess Celestia whispered.

"I… I don't remember most of it. I felt like I was in a daze most of the time. I… I remember something sweet. I…I needed to eat, and… I found a few stores who had some muffins and cupcakes that they had thrown away. And… and then… I…" Twilight stammered.

"Shh, it's alright, Twilight. You are not in trouble here. But, we need to know where you've been," the princess pressed.

"I… I went to see my parents," Twilight choked out through tears.

Celestia's eyes widened at the statement. She prayed that Twilight hadn't done anything rash, and that her parents were still alright. She saw this was difficult for her, but she needed to press her for more.

"What happened, Twilight? It's ok, you can tell me," Celestia said.

The unicorn could not help but tremble as the memories of that night came back to her. She closed her eyes as she willed her voice to calm enough to get the words out.

"I… I was finally thinking straight for a moment, and… I guess my first instinct was to go home, but… It was at night, and it was hard to make anything out. I was able to see through the first floor window. It was late, and no one was on the streets. I saw the fireplace lit, and when I looked closer, I could see them…. mommy…and daddy. I missed them so much, and here they were, just a few feet from me! I…I never thought I would ever see them again! I…I wanted to burst through the door and hug them with all my might! I wanted to kiss them and hug them and tell them how much I loved them and missed them! I leaned in to get a better view. They were asleep. Daddy was holding mommy, and mommy was holding… a picture… of me. That's when I got a good look at myself…from… from the reflection on the glass. I couldn't go in there. What would I say? 'Hi mom and dad, here I am, alive, see? Too bad I'm changing again, and you're gonna have to watch me die!'" Twilight stammered as her voice cracked.

She couldn't take any more. She was falling apart on the inside and on the outside. She couldn't help thinking about how cruel fate was to her, giving her a second chance, escaping one nightmare, just to relive another. The unicorn reached out to her teacher, hugging her tight, as she screamed into Celestia's wing, her body wracked with sobs.

"Mommy… mommy!" Twilight uttered over and over, while her fresh tears matted her mentor's feathers.

Princess Celestia held her student, letting her cry her eyes out yet again. What else could she say? All she could do now was offer her support and reassurance. But in Twilight's state, what good was such a pledge, even from the ruler of the sun? The stagnation of the unknown infuriated her. Each passing second without any new information felt like an hour, yet she knew all she could do was wait and console the mare hugging her tight. Suddenly, she gasped as she thought back to their recent conversation.

'_Th…the stores that had their trash raided!'_ She thought to herself as she felt tears of her own streak down her face.

It was her. It was her this whole time. She was ready to strike down her guards for their alleged incompetence, and yet they were right. Princess Celestia didn't think she could possibly feel worse than she did a few seconds ago, but she was wrong. Her sister warned her about her overzealous behavior, and she just ignored it. She couldn't help herself. As much as she loved all of her subjects, this was different. This was Twilight. She knew she needed to say something different from what she had already said, but the only thing that came out was a barely audible apology.

"I'm sorry, Twilight. I'm so sorry," Celestia uttered just above a whisper.

Princess Luna stared at the back of the stallion's head as she pulled the covers closer. It was an odd sensation for her to be lying in bed during the night instead of the day, but she couldn't bring herself to do any work, not after what her sister said to her. She sighed deeply as the dampness on her pillow lightly caressed her cheek. Watching Big Mac sleep had an unusually calming effect on her. She didn't know why, but somehow focusing on the stallion's breathing was the only thing that kept her from screaming when she came back to the room after that horrible fight. The more she thought about it, the more she wished she'd acted differently. The moon princess knew she was right when she told her sibling that she needed to calm down and rest, but she also understood that she had gone too far with her accusations. She was afraid something like this would happen with the tension running so high between them. In all honestly, she hadn't even realized she'd said it. She closed her eyes and turned over in the large plush bed, her back to her lover. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that she still hurt inside. It wasn't like before, when she was jealous of her sister. However, the deeper she searched her thoughts it became clear that there was a sadness that lingered. They never really had a conversation after she came back. They just wanted to be back in each other's lives, and in doing so, forsook their own piece of mind by not talking about what separated them in the first place. Perhaps that was a mistake. After over two years of being back, it seemed like the incident still haunted both of them. There was only one thing to do, no matter how painful it might be.

'_We need to talk about it, but how? How would I even begin that conversation?' _ Princess Luna thought to herself.

A knock at the door snapped her away from her thoughts as she slowly rose out of the bed, treading carefully as to not disturb Big Mac. Luckily, he only let out a small snore, as he turned over and readjusted himself. Opening the door slowly, she eyed the three guards that now stood in front of her bedchambers. By the looks on their faces, something happened. The lead guard spoke up, nervousness lacing his speech.

"Princess Luna, we are sorry to disturb you, but Princess Celestia ordered us to tell you that…" the guard hesitated.

"Tell me what? Speak," Luna urged.

"Twilight Sparkle has returned. She is in the infirmary with Princess Celestia, and they are running tests. Ms. Sparkle is… not herself," the royal guard said as politely as he could.

The dark coated alicorn's eyes widened as she pushed her way past the guards, and ran to the infirmary as fast as her legs could take her. With each step bringing her closer to the makeshift hospital wing, her last thought before entering the sterile room was that the talk between her and her elder sibling would have to wait.

As the doctor, Princess Celestia and Twilight Sparkle made their way down the hallway, only the sound of their hooves clacking against the marble floor echoed. The doctor had simply said that the medical staff had finished their test results and now had a working theory. After that, no more words were spoken as they all made their way to the lounge area where Princess Luna made sure to have the others waiting. Depending on what was needed of them, all of the elements of harmony needed to hear what the doctors had to say. At first, the physician was slightly perturbed about revealing their findings to anyone other than the patient, but a glare for the alicorn princess quickly put an end to such thoughts. Celestia glanced over at her student walking beside her. She had opted to wear a hooded cape in order to hide her ghastly features. The princess didn't like the idea of her student feeling so insecure, but she quickly dismissed arguing with her over it as she just wanted to make her pupil as comfortable as possible. As the doctor and Princess Celestia turned to go into the room, Twilight hesitated. Her eyes met the floor as she felt the shadow of her teacher cast over her.

"I…I don't want to go in there," Twilight stammered.

"Twilight, we have to find out what's wrong. They need to know too," Princess Celestia said.

"They hate me, Princess! And…and even if they didn't I'm still…all this is going to do is remind them of all the horrible things I did to them!" Twilight retorted, her voice cracking.

"Listen to me, Twilight," the elder alicorn began softly as she cradled her student with her neck like a mother would a foal.

"No one hates you. They are still your friends, and no one wants anything bad to happen to you. They all love you, Twilight. I love you, and we are going to help you in every way we can. Please, come in and let's hear what the doctor has to say," The sun princess stated.

Sighing deeply, Twilight nodded and proceeded into the room followed by her mentor. She was met by a series of gasps, and the unicorn closed her eyes, as she knew where they were coming from. Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash all backed away from her, as they took in the familiar site of Twilight's mangled body. She couldn't imagine what they were feeling right now. Before, she was just a symbol of the horrors she put them through, but now, she was the personification of it. The pictured image of that which hurt them and tried to kill them. The more Twilight thought about it, the worse she felt, until finally she whimpered and dropped to the floor, covering her disfigured face with her hooves.

"I…I'm sorry, everyone!" She cried as she began to shiver.

"Tw…Twilight?" A voice whispered as the unicorn slowly looked up.

It was Spike. She honestly didn't think it was possible for her to feel any worse than she did a few moments ago, but her heart sank even further as their eyes met. During the events that led up to that horrible night back in Ponyville, Spike was away the whole time, and never saw Twilight in this state. It was the one consolation that she carried through that horrible ordeal. Spike was mature, but he was still a baby dragon, and she found solace in the fact that at least the ones who had to deal with her were adults and not children. She didn't even have that anymore. Spike was about to make his way over to her, when the doctor stopped him.

"Please. I understand that this is a terrible situation, but you all need to hear what I have to say," he said evenly.

Spike looked over to Twilight, who nodded, letting the dragon know that it was all right. He sighed and relaxed, after giving Princess Celestia a fleeting glare. He turned to the doctor, as did everyone else in the room. Big Mac stood next to Princess Luna, as the rest of them shifted in order to get a better vantage point on the physician. The unicorn's fellow element bearers did their best to stay away from Twilight, as the doctor began.

"We took blood and tissue samples from Ms. Sparkle as soon as she arrived back at the castle this morning and we compared them to the samples we took while she was recovering from her recent… assault. We then compared those results to the ones from samples we had obtained from the library after the initial incident in Ponyville…and…I'm sorry to say, but…" the physician stammered uncomfortably.

"Doctor, please," Princess Luna encouraged softly.

"Whatever transformation Twilight Sparkle went through before, she is going through again, now," the medical professional stated.

Everyone in the room other than the unicorn physician let out a sharp whimper. They each felt their stomachs drop as the words sank in. Fluttershy did her best to control herself. She needed to stop herself from hyperventilating, as she brought her hoof to her chest, and concentrated on her breathing.

'_Breath, breath, breath…'_ the pegasus repeated over and over in her head.

Rarity was numb, her face draining of all color. Being in the same room as the mare who forced herself on her was bad enough, but now, that same mare, the unicorn she used to call her friend was once again becoming a monster. She would be subject to horrible pain and suffering, and the worst part for Rarity was the fact that she didn't know how she felt about it. She didn't even know how she was supposed to feel about it.

Applejack needed to hug someone. Anyone. Regret filled her mind and her heart. She may have been angry at Twilight, but that anger was always tempered by the fact that she saw her former friend as sick. She sniffled as she felt tears of helplessness form in her eyes. The blond earth pony turned to Rainbow Dash, whose look of confusion made it seem like she was in a bad dream that she couldn't wake up from. She didn't know how to process what she just heard. Twilight hurt her worse than any pony ever had before. Yet, here the unicorn was, about to go through another horrible nightmare, and a pain worse than death. She looked down at the bandage around her wing as she felt Applejack hug her tight.

Princess Celestia, who was at her student's side ever since they entered the room, cradled her apprentice in her left wing. The royal alicorn hoped with all her might that it was something simple, but her worst feelings, the ones that nagged at her from the pit of her stomach were finally given substance rather than just fading into speculation. She turned her head and looked at her student. It didn't take long for Twilight to begin sobbing softly. All of her worst fears were realized with that statement. She was reliving the nightmare. No one said anything as they each absorbed the news in their own way.

"How…wh…why?!" Pinkie Pie finally stammered out after a few minutes of silence.

"Well, we only have a theory for now. Please understand, this is the most scientifically complex thing we have ever seen. It… it's honestly a phenomenon that we can study for years and still not grasp. With that said, however, we believe that her change was triggered by her injuries," the physician explained.

Rarity felt her heart skip a beat as her legs stiffened. It wasn't possible. She was no scientist! How could what she did to her former friend ever cause something like this?

"What do you mean, doc?" Big Mac inquired.

"Well, I don't believe you were here for it, but the night Twilight came back, she was beaten severely. She had multiple fractures, contusions and lacerations. We believe, and this is just a theory, mind you, that the DNA of the fly was dormant inside of her, and that her body went into some sort of stasis," he answered.

"Stasis?" Luna pressed.

"Yes. It's similar to when our body compensates when something is missing. It's not quite the same thing, but essentially, we believe that her body, in its damaged state, looked within itself to co-op anything it could to sustain and repair itself. The fly DNA has remarkable metabolism, and we believe that Ms. Sparkle's body unlocked it in order to speed up the healing process," the physician said.

Rarity's heart began to race at the doctor's statement. She had completely misunderstood his original explanation. Her legs became weak as she did her best to keep her composure. She prayed that no one noticed the change in her demeanor, although she quickly realized how fleeting that thought to be, as she further considered the situation. She cursed inward at letting such thoughts into her mind, but again she was torn about how to feel. She wished so badly that she could just shut her eyes and when she opened them, she would be back at the Carousel Boutique, leaving this madness behind her.

"Doctor, how do reverse the process? Can magic help?" Luna inquired.

"No. At least we don't think so. There is no spell for dealing with something like this, at least on this level. It's not that we don't have transformation spells, but those are temporary and are more illusionary in nature than anything. In this situation? You're talking about a spell that would have to change every single cell in Ms. Sparkle's body. Her very DNA. No such spell has ever been written. Even if it were possible, the amount of magic required would be astronomical, and whoever cast such a spell would be in grave danger and may not even survive casting it," the physician said.

"Wh…what about the Elements of Harmony? They can do anything, right?" Big Mac said, as he tried to bring even a glimmer of hope to this ordeal.

"We did think about that, but it would have the same problem as with writing a spell for this. Twilight's body is in a very different state, and we have no idea how the strain of using her element would affect her. It could even speed up the transformation. There is just no way to know," the medical professional answered.

After another few moments of silence, with only the occasional sniffle echoing through the ornate room, Twilight stood up, and walked over to the doctor. No one, not even Princess Celestia moved, as they watched the unicorn slink slowly towards him.

"How long do I have?" She whispered.

"Based on our calculations, we believe another six weeks. Two months at best," he said.

"And then what?" Twilight pressed.

"Then…we don't know. Either your body accepts the change and you become a completely different creature, or…" the doctor stammered.

"You'll die."

"NO!" Pinkie Pie screamed, as she lunged for the physician, almost knocking him to the floor.

He dodged, just in time as the pink party mare fell flat on her belly in the spot the healer used to be. She began screaming at the top of her lungs as tears streamed down her face.

"YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO HELP! YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO HELP SICK PONIES GET BETTER! YOU HAVE TO! THAT'S YOUR JOB! MY FRIEND IS SICK! MY BEST FRIEND IS SICK! WHY WON'T YOU HELP HER?! YOU HAVE TO HELP HER! PLEASE! PLEASE!" Pinkie Pie sobbed while staring at him.

"I'm sorry. I wish I could tell you all something different, or at the very least some more information, but this is all we have," he said in a tranquil tone, trying his best to calm the sobbing mare in front of him.

Pinkie Pie shook with anger and sadness, as she slowly got to her hooves. It wasn't right. It wasn't fair! Her best friend was back, after all she did, and now she was going to have to leave again. She wouldn't accept it, no matter what the physician said. She felt her anger rising like a volcano about to burst, and she knew exactly who to take it out on. She ran out of the room as fast as she could, not even looking back to the others or saying goodbye. They just let her go, as a twinge of guilt plucked at Rarity and Rainbow Dash's hearts. Pinkie was the only one of them that fully supported Twilight's return, and she was finally making progress on becoming the party pony they all knew and loved. Twilight just stood there, her mind in a daze as she barely registered Pinkie's outburst or departure.

"Two months. Just two months and then I'll have to go back," she whispered.

She felt the wing of her teacher once again caress her back, as she shivered thinking about the horrors that lie ahead. She looked up at her mentor. The princess met her gaze, and almost broke down at the sight. Twilight was looking at her like a frightened foal. Gone was the confident, bookish young mare that she had seen grow up. All that was left was a scared child that just wanted to survive. That was the moment the princess decided to act. If magic would not offer a solution than she would just have to look elsewhere. After a few moments, she formulated a plan. Wanting to give the pair some time to themselves, the doctor excused himself, as did the rest of them, leaving and none of them uttering a sound as they left the student and teacher alone. The white alicorn knelt down in front of her student as she whispered.

"Twilight Sparkle, I will not let you die. I will not let you go back to that horrible place as long as I can still draw a breath. I…I have a plan, but it's going to take both of us for it to work. Twilight…I'm going to have to push you harder than you have ever been pushed before," she said as she stroked her pupil's cheek with her hoof.

"Wh…whatever it takes. I don't want to go back there, please, I don't want to go back there!" Twilight cried back as she hugged Princess Celestia tight.

She'd been following the doctor down the last few hallways after they all dispersed. Rarity sighed in relief when she realized the others hadn't followed her. She needed to ask a very important question. She didn't know how she was going to ask it, but she needed to know for herself. After a few moments, her fellow unicorn came to a halt and turned around. He did his best not to give her an annoyed look as he knew the trauma that he had just informed them all about was quite devastating, but she could tell that he was a bit irked by her presence.

"Is there something on your mind, Ms. Rarity?" He asked in the most pleasant tone he could muster.

This was it. She looked down, her mind racing as she searched for the words. She knew she needed to be level headed, but her thoughts and nerves were screaming at her from the inside. Finally, she cleared her throat and began.

"Yes, doctor, I just had a small inquiry. Are…are you sure that Twilight's injuries caused her…transformation?" She asked meekly.

"Ms. Rarity, I believe I've already answered that question. We don't really know what caused the transformation, and her injuries causing the release of dormant genes was the best we could theorize right now," the doctor huffed.

Rarity tried her best to utter a response, but no sound came out. After a few moments, the doctor spoke up again, clearly getting more impatient by the passing second.

"Is there anything else, Ms. Rarity?" He asked.

"Y…yes. Doctor, do…do you think that if she was never injured in the first place that she would have begun her, um, metamorphosis?" She inquired.

The doctor closed his eyes and sighed, as he turned to her and put his hoof on her shoulder.

"Look, Ms. Rarity, we don't always have an answer for why things happen. It's possible that she may have lived the rest of her days with the dormant DNA inside her if she was never hurt. It's also possible that they unlocked themselves for an entirely different reason. Also, keep in mind that she was only back for one night before she was hurt, so the process may have already started, and we just hadn't picked up on it yet," he said softly.

"But…well…if you had to make an educated guess…" Rarity pressed.

"Well, with what little information we have, no, I don't think her transformation would be taking place right now if she was never hurt, especially that badly. But, in all honestly, we just don't know," the doctor stated.

Rarity didn't hear the last part of the statement as her stomach tied itself in knots. She needed to keep her composure. The healer didn't seem to be making the connection, and mistook her questions as concern for her "friend." She needed to get his mind on something else. She decided to stay in her wheelhouse.

"Thank you, doctor. Your wife is lucky to have such a knowledgeable and compassionate husband," she said with a forced smile.

The doctor simply blushed and nodded his thanks before walking away. Rarity kept the smile up and waived a goodbye to him as he left. Once he turned the corner however, she collapsed. She needed to find a bathroom, and quickly. She turned and ran to the other end of the hall, where she was lucky enough to find one. She kicked the door open and ran into the stall, sticking her head in the toilet, as vomit careened into the basin. She couldn't stop shaking as she felt another wave of nausea crash into her like an avalanche. Mercifully, her stomach stopped churning as she heaved violently.

'_I killed her, I killed her, it's my fault, I killed her!'_ She thought as she closed her eyes while hugging the cold white porcelain bowl.

Pinkie Pie raced down the hallway, her own tears streaming passed her. Her face contorted in wild anger, as she paid no attention to the guards as they leapt out of her way. She wouldn't stop. She had to keep going. It was getting hard to form thoughts of any kind as she galloped into the gardens, and towards the statues. Finally, she came to his statue. The god of chaos, himself wrapped and contained in hard stone. She knew what it really was, however. She knew it was a fake, and right now, she was so sad and angry, she didn't care if the whole city of Canterlot knew the truth. She screamed his name at the top of her lungs, so loud that it was barely audible. Not waiting for a reaction, she screamed Discord's name again. Nothing happened. Her emotions and fatigue from running so furiously finally caught up with her as she crashed to the ground.

"Come back! Please, you have to come back! I need you to make it right! Please. PLEASE!" She shouted, tears once again dripping from her eyes.

Again, nothing. He wasn't here. She wished with all of her might for him to appear before her and solve this mess, but he wasn't here. And he wasn't coming, no matter how much she wanted him to. She hid her face in her front hooves as she sobbed quietly to herself. She didn't know what to do. Once again, she was at a loss as to how she could help her friend. She felt worse than when Twilight came to see her when she first started to change so many months ago. She was helpless then, and she was helpless now. The realization hit her like a kick to her stomach. She curled herself into a ball, shivering as she wept.

'_What do I do, what do I do?'_ She thought to herself over and over.

"Put those boxes over there, please," Princess Celestia said as she motioned her hoof to the other side of the throne room.

The scientists complied as their magic covered the large crates, levitating them over towards the other side of the throne room. The court was bustling with activity, but not the kind of activity one would expect from a government administration. It looked more like a factory or industrial site, with unicorn scientists and doctors moving boxes and crates, setting up machines, wires and cables. Twilight was at her side the whole time, still in a daze at the flurry of activity taking place before her. She wasn't sure what to make of it, but it was quite impressive. Concentrating on the machines and technology moving about gave her a chance to take her mind off her situation, at least for a few minutes. If she kept lingering on what the doctors said, she thought she would lose control of herself and do something rash. She still didn't really know how to process everything he told her. She felt like it wasn't real, like she was outside of herself somehow, looking in on a horrible scene from a play. Suddenly, she felt a hoof caress her back, as she looked up to see the smiling face of her mentor. The alicorn's smile quickly dropped as she turned back around. Twilight did the same, and eyes went wide as two very large crates came in. They were obviously heavy, whatever they were, as they were supported by both the magic of a few unicorn doctors and several royal soldiers who walked slowly carrying the boxes on their backs. As they set the bulky containers down, the princess stamped her right hoof against the ground hard, getting everyone's attention.

"As of now, the throne room is a restricted area. Only scientists, doctors and Royal Guard officers will be allowed access. Guards will be posted outside every entrance and exit to this room, as well as the windows. They are to keep out everyone, including my sister, the remaining elements of harmony, and anyone else who is not whom I've just listed, unless give special permission by me. Also, if you do have access, you are not permitted to discuss anything that happens in this room outside of it. Is that clear?" she said in an even tone.

Everyone bowed, acknowledging their leader's statement, and began filtering out, as their jobs were done. Once the space cleared, Twilight walked awkwardly over to the two huge unpacked crates. She turned to her mentor giving her an inquisitive look. The princess only answered her look of concern with a sad gaze of her own. Immediately, the unicorn became worriedly pensive.

"What's in here, princess?"

"I told you, Twilight, this was going to be the hardest thing you've ever done. We need a solution. A cure for your condition, but if we cannot get to where we want through magic…" she trailed off, as she walked over to the crates with her horn aglow.

As the wooden walls of the containers gave way, Twilight's eyes went wide as she viewed their contents. Her mouth went agape, as she tried to utter a sound. At first, nothing came out, but after a moment, she was screaming at the top of her lungs. She fell to the ground, shuffling away from the sight, a look of pure terror plastered on her face. All of the memories came flooding back to her at once. Her friends, what she did to them, Angel, Gummy, and the rest of the pets, and the hours upon hours spent trying desperately to delay the inevitable.

"Twilight. TWILIGHT!" Her mentor shouted as she grabbed the unicorn's face with her hooves.

"We can do this. It'll be alright. I kept all of your notes, including the book. We have everything we need. You just need to stay strong. I know you can do it. I'll be here the whole time, at your side," she whispered, trying to calm her whimpering apprentice.

Twilight tried to cry, but no more tears would come out. She'd have to do it again. The thing she dreaded almost as much as dying. She needed to pull herself out of this state, so she concentrated on her mentor's words, and her breathing finally became even again. Princess Celestia hugged her tight as she whispered where her pupil's ear used to be.

"Let's get started, ok?" She said.

Fluttershy wandered the hallways of the castle, lost in thought. She took in so much today, and her mind was still sorting it out. She was scared, that's for sure. Twilight was a confirmed monster again, and the thought of being in the same building, even the same town as her former friend frightened her. She started to calm down when she realized that the princess was never going to leave Twilight's side during this whole ordeal. That fact made her feel a little better, but also a bit guilty. Twilight had been terrible to her and the rest of her friends, but the timid pegasus had finally started to forgive her for her transgressions, and yet here she was doing her best to avoid her. A mare she once called a friend was dying painfully, or at the very least, becoming a different creature altogether, and here she was trying her best to evade her and all because she was scared. Her fear frustrated her to no end. The worst part about her shyness was that she knew it. She knew she was timid and meek, and yet whenever she tried to overcome it, she may succeed in the short term, but she would then revert to her usual self just as quick. It began to infuriate her. She stopped her walk, as a loud noise from the other end of the hallway snapped her out of her contemplation. She began to move towards the noise, as she began to make out what sounded like construction. As the pegasus moved to the end of the hallway, she realized that she was standing in front of the throne room doors. Something was clearly going on. There were usually only two guards outside the ornate entrance, but now there were six, three on each side of the large doors. Their chiseled faces were quite intimidating, as they stood at attention. They didn't say a word, and with each passing second she became more uncomfortable. She normally would have smiled and walked away, but for some reason, she didn't. Her previous thoughts entered her mind as she mustered up all the courage she had.

'_No! This time, I'm not running away! I've stood my ground before, and I can do it again! It's…it's not like I'm in trouble or anything right? I'm just asking a question!' _She thought to herself.

Straightening up, and clearing her throat, she walked right up to one of the guards. The guard didn't move, nor did his expression change.

"Umm, excuse me, but…well, I was just wondering what all that noise was about. What's going on?"

"I'm sorry, Ms. Fluttershy, but we are under strict orders not to discuss anything or let anyone inside the throne room until further notice," he stated in an authoritative tone.

"One side!" A voice shouted from behind her.

The mare turned quickly as she saw a few unicorns with lab coats carrying a few small boxes with their magic trotting towards her. She squeaked as she jumped out of their way. As she looked up though, she realized that she didn't need to as they all stopped in front of the guards. The lead guard and the head scientist exchanged slight nods, as the doors opened. She knew she shouldn't look, but for once in her life, she was going to let curiosity get the better of her. With everything that had happened, she needed to know what was going on. She poked her head under the scientist's legs, getting a clear view of the throne room. The guards seemed to be preoccupied with holding the doors open, so she was able to get a quick look inside the space. She got more intrigued as she saw Twilight in her new form reading a book, and Princess Celestia using her magic to lift some tools.

'_What are they doing?'_ She thought as she turned her gaze to the left.

What she saw made gasp and shuffle away, her back now to the wall. She saw them. The things that plagued her nightmares, pulled from the depths of her twisted dreams back into reality. Her breathing became labored as she brought her hoof to her chest. The guards closed the doors as soon as the scientists were within the walls. Once the doors were locked, and they turned around, the guard on the end heard the sound of heavy breathing and turned to his right.

"MS. FLUTTERSHY!" He shouted as he was kneeling in front of her in an instant.

Two more guards came over as the rest stood their post. The lead guard was trying to get her to calm down, but a foul smell soon hit them right in their nostrils as they looked down to see a clear liquid seep out between her legs, soiling the ornate carpet that decorated the floor. All but the lead guard backed away from the petrified mare. Their leader, however, stayed with her, whispering in her ear, as he used his hoof to caress her back, doing whatever he could to get her to calm down. Finally, she seemed to utter a word. It was soft, and barely audible. He needed to help her, but he needed to know what was wrong.

"Fluttershy, it's ok, you're safe here. What did you see?" He said softly.

"T…t…telepod!"

Hey, everyone! So, another chapter in the books! I hope everyone is enjoying it so far! Also, I forgot to mention, I went to the Big Apple Ponycon this year, and I met Andrea Libman! Very nice and very classy lady! Anyway, happy reading!


	12. Chapter 12

Fluttershy slowly opened her eyes, her gaze meeting the white marble floor beneath her. She blinked as her vision went out of focus being so close to the ornate stone walkway. The pegasus tried to shift, but soon realized that her hooves wouldn't listen to the commands her brain was giving them. As she struggled, she could feel rope cutting into her fur. She was bound. The animal lover whimpered as she realized her predicament and used her weight to shift her body over on its side. Her front hooves were fastened behind her back tight, capturing her wings under them. She looked down at her hind legs and saw that they were secured with rope as well. She began her struggle again, as panic slowly set in.

"Oh, you're awake!" a voice rang out beside her.

Fluttershy looked up and screamed as she realized where she was. She was in the throne room with Princess Celestia and Twilight Sparkle. She could hear the low hum of the telepods as they were now active. She shivered as the royal alicorn and her former friend approached her.

"Hi Fluttershy! We're almost ready! Don't hurt yourself too much, we don't want you get rope burn or anything!" Twilight giggled cheerfully, as her disfigured lips curled into a smile.

"Please, Twilight, we're friends, please let me go!" Fluttershy pleaded with tears forming in her eyes.

"Let you go? Dear Fluttershy, you're the element of kindness. We thought you would be happy to assist Twilight in returning to normal," Princess Celestia chimed in as she read over some notes.

Fluttershy gasped as her eyes widened. The few seconds she was conscious, she started to fear the worst, but the princess' words confirmed why she was here. They were going to use her to reverse Twilight's condition. They were going to sacrifice her. They were going to kill her. She redoubled her efforts in a vain attempt to get free, her crying and whimpering increasing with each passing second. Twilight and Princess Celestia seemed to ignore her attempts at release, as they continued working. After a few more minutes, Fluttershy heard her former friend's voice ring out again.

"O.K. Princess! I'm ready! Bye, Fluttershy! Thanks so much for doing this!" the unicorn shouted as she ran into one of the telepods.

The yellow mare's mind raced as she wretched about using every ounce of strength she could to undo her bonds. She heard the door of the telepod now occupied by Twilight close and lock. She looked up, still struggling, and saw Princess Celestia activate her magic, as the large computer in the middle of the room came to life. The alicorn of the sun slowly walked towards her, standing at full height above the helpless pegasus.

"Well, most of my magic is being used to power the machines right now. I guess I'll just have to get you into pod two the old fashioned way," she stated evenly, as she took Fluttershy's mane in her teeth and began dragging her towards her doom.

The mare screamed as she felt her scalp burn, still tossing and turning wildly, like a panicked worm. As they were almost to the telepod, the princess released her mane and came back around facing her with an annoyed look.

"This is hard with you struggling so much, Fluttershy. It would be easier to just lift you with magic, but my power is otherwise preoccupied. Hmmm. Well, I guess, I could use my horn in a different way than usual, given the circumstances. We only need you semi-alive anyway, not that it's going to matter in a few moments," the princess mused aloud.

"Horn? Wh…what do you mean by-AAUGH!" Fluttershy screamed as she felt the royal alicorn's horn pierce her belly.

She looked down just in time to see the horn slide out of her stomach, a pool of blood forming beside her. Her fight with the ropes that bound her ceased immediately thanks to the shock and pain of being stabbed through the gut. Now paralyzed by pain and blood loss, Princess Celestia once again took the pegasus' mane in her mouth and soon Flutteshy found herself inside the telepod. She felt the bonds disappear as she slumped in the corner of the machine. She lifted her head slowly and her vision began to blur, as she tried to make out Celestia's smiling face.

"That was much better! Well, goodbye, dear Fluttershy. We'll never forget you for this sacrifice," the princess said as she was about to close the door.

She was going to die. They were going to kill her and there was nothing she could do about it. She was helpless, as tears streamed down her face in frustration, sadness and fright. Suddenly, just as the door was closing, the princess spoke once more, as Fluttershy saw her own blood trickle down the royal alicorn's horn.

"And don't worry, I won't tell anyone I had to stab you to make you comply. It'll be our little secret," she whispered as the door locked.

Fluttershy tried to scream as she heard the pod activate, but she only released a guttural sputter, as she felt a warm syrupy substance invade her throat and drip down the sides of her mouth. The metallic taste sent her mind into a frenzy.

'_No,no,no,no,no…'_ she repeated over and over in her head as a white light enveloped her.

Fluttershy screamed as she shot up out of bed, almost ripping out her IV. She breathed hard as the sweat poured off her, wetting the sheets that covered her. She needed to calm down. She needed to keep telling herself that it was just a dream, that it wasn't real. She shut her eyes tight as she concentrated on her breathing, forcing it to slow down. After a few moments, she felt calm enough to once again open her eyes and take in her surroundings. She was in one of the infirmary rooms at the castle. She concentrated, thinking back to how she could have gotten here. Finally, her last conscious memory came back to her. They brought back the telepods. The princess had actually sanctioned the use of those monstrosities. How could she do that? They are what caused all of this to begin with, and here she was tinkering with them. Scenario after scenario flooded her mind, none of which ended well. She couldn't be here anymore. She needed to leave. Not the room, but the castle. Canterlot. Maybe even Equestria, if necessary. She had to get away from this. The palace was supposed to be a safe haven. A place where she could heal from the horrible wounds, both emotional and physical that plagued her ever since the incident. Now, with the knowledge of those things being just a few rooms away, and Twilight being in the state she was in, she knew she needed to leave. She unhooked her IV and tiptoed out of the room, praying that no one would notice her.

Applejack walked slowly over the grass in the garden as night fell over Equestria. She spent most of the day crying after hearing the doctor's diagnosis. It hurt her so much to think of someone she once called a friend suffering like that. Finally, as the sun went down, she knew she needed to get some fresh air. The mare thought a walk in the gardens would help her process the horrid information she received earlier that day. She needed to figure things out. Where did she stand on all of this? Her first thought was that Twilight brought it on herself and should have known better than to mess with such reckless technology. She soon cursed herself for letting a notion like that enter her mind, but as she examined it further, it began to frighten her. She was always more instinctual that the rest of her friends. She trusted her gut, and usually her gut was right. What did that say then that her first thought about her former friend was essentially 'servers you right?' She never thought that she hated Twilight, but maybe there was more anger there than she realized. But, could she even afford to be angry now? Twilight was practically dying and here she was, blaming her for it. And yet, it was technically her fault, since she decided to experiment on herself. Applejack stopped dead in her tracks and gritted her teeth, as she sighed loudly.

'_Why the hay is this so dang confusin'?! Ah never waste time figuring out how Ah feel, but Ah can't help it! Ah don't even know what Ah'm supposed to think!'_ Applejack thought to herself as she closed her eyes tight.

"Taking in my night, Applejack?" a voice chimed in from behind her.

Applejack whirled around, the words snapping her back to reality. It was Princess Luna. From the tone, Applejack expected the alicorn to greet her with a smile, but as she got closer, she saw nothing but melancholy etched on the royal's face.

"Oh, hi, Princess. Ah'm sorry, Ah didn't see ya there," Applejack answered softly.

They both stood in awkward silence for a few moments, as a soft breeze tickled their fur. After all that's happened, the last think Applejack wanted to talk about was Twilight. She had some thinking to do, and she needed to do that by herself. What could she say to break the tension? She was curious about a few things on another front, and since they were alone, now seemed like a good time to ask.

"So, you and mah brother, huh?" Applejack stammered, as her gaze met the soft grass under her hooves.

Luna's eyes widened in surprise at the inquiry. As obvious as the question was, considering what's happened between her and the stallion as of late, she didn't expect Applejack to be so forward. Seeing the mare in front of her so nervous however, almost made her giggle, a much needed feeling after the last few weeks. She smiled softly as she walked closer to the earth pony.

"Yes. I know it sounds cliché, but it sort of just…happened," she said as she sat down next to the earth pony.

Applejack joined her as they both stared at the moon. The farmer searched for the words, as she turned to eye Princess Luna curiously.

"How? If ya don't mind me askin'?" she inquired.

"Applejack, I know that you all think of me as above such things, but the truth is, this has been hard on me too. We didn't want you to know this, but we had no idea how to help you and your friends when you came back to the castle after that terrible tragedy. And my sister was a shadow of herself for months. It was up to me to hold everything together. I'd been back barely two years, Applejack. I was already dealing with issues stemming from my own…transformation. I'd barely begun to speak modern Equestrian! And suddenly, I was thrust into this entirely new situation. It's hard for me to admit this, but I was scared. I didn't know what to do, and I couldn't even ask my big sister for help because she was one of the ones who needed helping!" Luna said, as her eyes became misty.

"Ah…Ah had no idea, princess," Applejack whispered.

"Well, through all of it, there was only one pony I could talk to, and that was Big Mackintosh. He was the only one who I felt comfortable discussing these things with. He was kind, sweet, warm and gentle, all wrapped up in a strong outer shell. He gave good advice, and most importantly, I felt at ease around him. I…I needed a rock, Applejack. I needed to have a shoulder to lean on, and he was always there for me, even if he didn't realize it until a few weeks ago,"

"Yeah, stallions can sure be thick headed sometimes," Applejack said.

This time, the princess couldn't hide her chuckle, and soon, Applejack joined in, as they shared a hearty laugh together. The two mares smiled at each other, as they gradually calmed down.

"Well, that's a good enough reason, Ah guess. Ah am his sister, after all, so Ah had to ask, Princess. Yer intentions seem honorable, so Ah guess Ah can allow it," the earth mare said as she posed with one hoof over her chest, eliciting another laugh from the princess.

"Well, not entirely. Has anyone ever told you your brother has the cutest tush?" Princess Luna asked jokingly, raising her eyebrows a few times.

"Princess! That's mah brother! Ah don't even wanna…oh, heh, ya got me good there, yer highness," Applejack stammered in between giggles.

"Seriously, though, I like him Applejack. Very much. I can assure you, I would never play with a stallion's heart in such a way, especially one as warm as his," Luna stated sweetly.

"Oh, ah know that, princess. Ah was just curious. Ah don't think he could do any better in the whole wide world than bein' with you, and ah mean that," Applejack said.

"Thank you, Applejack. That's very kind of you. Well, I have some duties to take care of. Will you be turning in?" the princess asked.

"Nah. Ah need to clear mah head a little, so Ah think Ah'll stay out here for a bit longer," the earth pony answered.

The princess nodded as she turned to leave. Suddenly, a voice stopped her.

"Hey, Princess. Ah just wanted to say thanks. For everything," Applejack said.

Luna smiled and nodded as she turned back around, making her way into the night, leaving Applejack among the flowers and bush once again to contemplate. Just as the princess of the night disappeared from sight, Applejack stiffened as she heard a rustling behind her. She turned and made her way towards the sound slowly and carefully. She didn't want to spook whomever, or whatever was making the noise. The orange mare was more curious than scared. After all, this was the Cantelot Royal Gardens. There weren't any dangerous creatures here like in the Everfree forest. Just as she was about to call out to whoever was there, she jumped back, startled as a figure ran out of the bush, making a mad dash across the grass.

"H-Hey! Wait!" Applejack shouted as she gave chase.

Whoever it was, didn't seem to be that quick, and the farm mare easily gained ground over what was clearly another pony. Was it a changling? Someone spying on Princess Luna? The more she thought about someone eavesdropping on her private conversation with the alicorn, the angrier she became, and she used that anger as fuel for her legs. She was right behind the pony now, and after a few moments, she made a mad leap, tackling the pony to the ground. From the grunt she heard when their bodies made contact, she was dealing with a female. The voice seemed familiar, and as the mystery mare fought to free herself from Applejack's grip, the farm girl decided enough was enough, and used her front hooves to pin her prey to the ground.

"Alright, now! Who are ya, and what were ya doin' spyin' on me and Princess… Fluttershy?!" Applejack exclaimed.

Staring up at her, shaking, was the element of kindness herself. For a few moments, they didn't move. They just looked at each other, until Applejack finally realized what kind of position they were in. She got up off her friend, and with a smile, extended a hoof. Fluttershy, however, looked away from the earth pony, still shivering violently. Applejack became more concerned by the second.

"Sugarcube, what's wrong? Why are you out here, and why did ya run from me?" Applejack asked softly, doing her best to calm the pegasus down.

"I…I was…I was running away, Applejack! I can't stand it here anymore! With Twilight, and…and…" Fluttershy stammered, doing her best to control her fear.

Applejack couldn't help but feel for her timid friend. She frowned as she sat next to the pegasus, who was lying on the grass. Fluttershy sat up, as Applejack put a hoof on her shoulder.

"Fluttershy, look, Ah…Ah know this is tough. Ah gotta admit, one of the main reasons Ah'm out her right now is to figure out how to deal with all this…new information. But Twilight needs us. You know it, and Ah know it. This is the toughest thing she'll ever face. Ah…Ah know she's done wrong by us, but can we really just sit back and let all this happen to her? After everything else we've been through together?" Applejack whispered, while caressing the mare's back.

"Applejack, you don't understand…" Fluttershy started before she was cut off.

"Of course Ah do. Ah was there too, ya know. It's been hard on all of us. The nightmares, not sleepin' or eatin' right, not bein' able to get those images outta yer head, like they haunt ya even in the daylight. Ah get it sugarcube, but we've gotta stick together," the earth pony said softly.

"Applejack, no, you don't…" Fluttershy started again, but was interrupted.

"Please, Fluttershy…" Applejack began.

APPLEJACK, LISTEN TO ME! YOU HAVE TO LISTEN TO ME! THEY BROUGHT THEM BACK! THE PRINCESS BROUGHT THEM BACK! AND NOW…AND NOW…" Fluttershy screamed at the top of her lungs, almost knocking her friend over.

"Fluttershy, what is it?" Applejack asked cautiously.

"The telepods. The princess brought them back. Princess Celestia and Tw…Twilight are working on them right now. I…I saw them Applejack. They…they are set up in the throne room. The princess isn't letting anyone in," Fluttershy answered.

Time seemed to stop for Applejack as she absorbed the words that Fluttershy just uttered. How could Princess Celestia do this? To bring back those monstrosities, the ones that made Twilight the way she was, starting the whole ordeal, just seemed wrong. Now she understood Fluttershy's extreme reaction. Applejack thought of herself as quite courageous, but even she shuddered when she turned to look at the castle. They were in there. The objects that started this nightmare were really in there. Her bravery began to falter, as she thought more about the prospect of being in the same building as those things. Fluttershy's whisper snapped her train of thought.

"Applejack, she…she's going to kill us…isn't she? If we stay, I mean. We…we'll die, A.J. and…and I don't want to die! I'm scared!" she said, as she cried into her hooves.

Applejack's eyes widened at the statement. This event had hurt all of them, but it wasn't until now that she realized just how badly Futtershy was affected. She was the element of kindness, and even though she had strength, this new development drained her of any inner fortitude she may have regained over the last six months. It crushed her to see her friend this way. What could she even say to such a statement? She needed to reassure her. It was the only thing she could think of right now.

"Fluttershy, you know that the princess will never let that happen. Besides, we're surrounded by guards, and…and Princess Luna. Even mah brother is stayin' for a spell. We'll be ok, sugarcube. Now come on, let's go back to our rooms, ok?" Applejack stated softly, as she stood up.

"Please…please don't make me go back in there, Applejack. I…I just want to leave and never come back!" the pegasus stammered in between sniffles.

"Now, look here, Fluttershy! We're in this together, whether you like it or not! Now come on, Ah know yer stronger than this, so get on yer hooves and let's go back inside," Applejack stated forcefully.

Fluttershy eyed her friend warily. She could tell that the news of the telepods being active again bothered her more than she was letting on. It was a good performance, but the farm mare's voice was shaky.

"Who…who are you trying to convince, A.J.? Me or yourself?" Fluttershy snapped, tears still rolling down her face.

The startling realization hit the farm pony in the gut like a sledgehammer. Fluttershy was right. She needed to convince herself just as much as she was trying to convince her friend, and she wasn't doing a very good job of either. Finally, she sat down, while letting out a long sigh. She needed to be more honest than she'd ever been in her life. Honesty may have been her element, but she wasn't exactly the best as sharing her feelings. She needed to try, though. She needed Fluttershy, just as she needed Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash. As much as she didn't want to admit it, she was scared to be alone.

"Look, Ah…Ah'm scared, alright? Mah…mah brother is in there, and so are all mah friends! Ah'm scared to be alone, ok? Ah know it sounds crazy comin' from me, but it's the truth. With…with all that's happenin' right now, Ah…ah can't bear the thought of loosing another friend, even if it's just to the wind. So, please Fluttershy. Please stay. For me?" Applejack pleaded.

Fluttershy just stared at the ground as she listened to Applejack's words. They rang true to her, as she also felt alone. It always seemed like the others didn't have the same emotional scars as she did, but now she understood that they just didn't wear them on their sleeves like she did. She still wanted to leave. Applejack, being an earth pony, wouldn't be able to follow her, if she took to the air. Her wings wouldn't follow her commands, however. The pegasus whimpered at the realization that her fear was still holding her back. Fluttershy let out an exasperated huff as she thought about what to do. She really didn't want to go back in there, but here was Applejack, begging her to stay. She never thought of her friends needing her in the same way that she needed them. Rather than relieve her fears, however, such a notion simply added to it. Applejack, the most dependable pony she knew just told her that she depended on her. It was a startling realization. She wanted so badly to stop feeling so frightened. She needed to take a first step towards courage. She stood up, doing her best to still the tremors in her knees.

"O…ok, Applejack. I…I'll stay. For you. And for Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash," she turned to walk back to the castle, but before she could turn around, she was grabbed into a tight hug by Applejack.

Fluttershy returned the hug, as they just stood there, basking in the moonlight, doing their best to comfort each other. Applejack could feel the mare shivering as she held her. Applejack's thoughts began to focus on this recent development as they embraced.

'_Ah…Ah gotta find out why the princess decided to bring those…things…back. Fluttershy said that no one's allowed in to see them. Maybe Ah can try somethin' else,' _she thought to herself.

"Are you finished with those equations yet?" Princess Celestia inquired as she connected more wires into the large computer that now sat in the middle of the throne room.

"Not…not yet, Princess. I should be done with them soon," Twilight answered.

It was night now, and all of the other scientists and workers were gone, leaving just the two of them to their work. Twilight was surprised how normal they were with each other. Once she got past the situation and they started concentrating on each individual task, the words that passed between them were nothing like the tearful exchanges from the past few conversations. Twilight had to admit that she started to feel relieved at the development. She found herself more focused, as long as she didn't think about the big picture and she kept her head buried in her notes and books, going out of her way to not let the telepods enter her field of vision.

"They're done, Princess. I'll get some more tools," Twilight said, as she made her way over to a large metallic box.

Using her magic, Twilight opened the container, and used her magic to lift out a wrench. As she looked up, she dropped the tool instantly causing a heavy clang to reverberate throughout the room. The sheen on the inside of the box had a reflective surface. She gasped as her own grotesque features startled her. She frightened herself with her own face. The unicorn collapsed as pain once again filled her heart, and the reality of the situation literally reared its ugly head. Her reflection told her that she was one step closer to the grave, and possibly going back to the place she feared more than anywhere else. Princess Celestia was at her side in a heartbeat after she heard the tool fall back into the metal box.

"Twilight, what's wrong?! Are you alright?!" Celestia asked, as she began checking her pupil for signs of injury.

"I…I'm sorry, Princess. I just…I saw what I looked like, and…" she trailed off as she got up and turned away from her teacher.

"Twilight, what is it? Please, tell me," the elder alicorn whispered.

"I started thinking about what would happen to me if this doesn't work. About…where I'd have to go," Twilight answered.

"What do you mean, Twilight?" her mentor inquired as she sat next to the now shaking mare.

"You…you mean…they didn't tell you? About… about the session?" Twilight said as she looked at Celestia nervously.

"Twilight, please. What's wrong?" the alicorn pressed on in the calmest voice she could muster.

"When…when I… died… I was sent to Tartarus!" Twilight exclaimed as she broke into sobs.

Princess Celestia's eyes widened at the statement. She felt knots twist in her stomach as she had to stop herself from whimpering. How could she have been so stupid? She remembered Luna telling her about Twilight's time in Tartarus, but never pressed her sister for any further information on the matter, as Luna told her how much it hurt Twilight to talk about it. She never asked the unicorn either. She wanted to let her open up about it on her own. The elder alicorn had so many thoughts running through her head at the moment, she didn't know where to begin. Finally, she uttered a single question.

"What happened, Twilight?" she whispered.

"I…I really don't want to talk about this!" Twilight shouted as she ran back to her books.

The sun princess eyed her student sorrowfully. She'd pitied Twilight for what she went through as a hybrid creature and now with her struggle for normalcy. She decided not to press her student any further. She could only imagine how much pain would be wretched up if she continued asking any questions. Princess Celestia stood up and made her way back to the telepods to continue her work.

"Alright, Twilight. I won't press the matter any further. Just know that if you want to talk about it, I am here for you like always," she said softly.

For the next few minutes, the only sounds heard throughout the room were Princess Celestia's tinkering and a page turning here and there, as Twilight Sparkle went back to her computations. The tension was back, and Twilight cursed herself for her reaction. After finally getting a break from this horrible nightmare, it was back to the forefront of her mind. She sighed as she turned to her teacher. Maybe it was time to talk about it, just as the doctors had been telling her since she first arrived.

"Laughing," Twilight whispered.

"Laughing?" Princess Celestia asked as she put down her tools, and sat in front of her apprentice.

"The first thing I remember was laughing. I couldn't see anything, it was total darkness. It…it was like my eyes were closed. But, I could hear laughing. Its sounded female. For a brief moment, I got excited. The laughter…it sounded…like Pinkie Pie. Was it all a dream? When I opened my eyes, would I see my friends? I started thinking maybe I just nodded off, and they would all be there smiling at me when I woke up. I opened my eyes, and that's when I saw them. It's hard to describe what they looked like. They were spirits, and not quite tangible. They were large, though. Almost the size of you, princess. Then I…I looked down at myself. It was the strangest sensation I've ever felt. I looked totally different, but I could still recognize myself. It…it took me a moment to say anything. I didn't even realize that I could, until I tried. I tried to say 'hello' and that's when…that's when…" Twilight stammered.

"It's ok, Twilight," Princess Celestia encouraged.

"That's when they attacked me. In this…new body, I…I didn't know how to move. I couldn't…I couldn't defend myself! They…they just…princess, they tore me apart! It…it felt like my flesh was being ripped like cheap cloth! I tried to scream, but…but nothing came out! Finally, after they were done with me, and I heard the laughing again. I looked down at myself, and…and I saw holes and rips! But…but I was still alive. I… I was aware of everything! That's…that's when I realized…I must be in some sort of afterlife. Once I figured out how, I screamed and cried. They…they just kept laughing at me!" Twilight sobbed, as she turned to hug her mentor, shaking.

"When I looked down again, I could…I could see that my…my wounds were healing! I tried to crawl away, once I was fully healed, but then…they…they just pounced on me again! I couldn't believe that I was being torn apart a second time! I…I…" she cried.

"Shhh, it's ok, Twilight," Princess Celestia whispered.

"Eventually, they left me alone. I…I guess they got bored of me, so…so they left. That's…that's when I figured out how to move. How to 'walk', for lack of a better term. My…wounds healed each time I was hurt, so I got away from there as fast as I could. After what seemed like days, I…I found some sort of gate. I ran up to it, thinking that it was the exit. That's when I heard the barking," the unicorn stated closing her eyes as her teacher held her.

"Barking?" Princess Celestia asked.

"I…I turned around, and there he was. Cerberus. I'd almost made it to the gate, but when I saw him, that's when it hit me. I was in Tartarus! Those…things that attacked me were evil spirits, and…and fate deemed me an evil spirit, just like them! I…I tried talking to him! I…called out to him, but…he…he didn't recognize me! To him, I was just another evil entity trying to get away from him and leave the realm. I couldn't move that well, and I…I didn't have any magic, so…I had no choice but to go back into the darkness that I wanted so desperately to escape. That's when…when…they found me again! I tried to run, but they would catch me so easily, since I couldn't move anywhere near as well as they could! I…I tried to communicate, but all it did was make them laugh harder and hurt me more!" Twilight screamed as tears streamed down her face.

"What?!" Princess Celestia asked angrily.

"A…After I tried to communicating with them, it looked like they understood me, but…but they didn't care! I begged them to stop, princess! I pleaded with them to leave me alone, but it didn't matter! It would just encourage them to hurt me worse than the last time! Eventually, they would get bored with me and let me go, but only until I healed completely! Then they would find me again! It hurt so much, princess!" the unicorn stammered, as her fresh tears matted the princess' fur.

Celestia felt tears of anger and sadness leave her own eyes, as she stroked the unicorn are back, trying to keep her calm. She'd never felt more powerless in her life than she did right now. Twilight's story enraged her, and yet, she couldn't do anything about it. It infuriated her that she could move an entire star, but she couldn't help Twilight in what was literally her darkest hour, even if it was on another plane of existence.

"That…that wasn't even the worst part, princess!" Twilight uttered, making her teacher's body stiffen.

'_What could be worse that what she just told me?!'_ the royal alicorn thought as her pupil continued.

"What do you mean, Twilight?" Princess Celestia asked.

"After…after being there for so long, I…I thought I…deserved what was happening to me!" the unicorn said.

"Twilight!" the princess gasped.

"It's just…I…I started to think about why I ended up there. I mean, I…I kidnapped my friends' pets, and I…I put them through horrible pain! I knew it was wrong! And they way they looked at me, I…They knew what I was doing to them, I know they did! But, I did it anyway! And…and when I went to get Tank, I beat Rainbow Dash! I split Fluttershy's head open! I…I picked a fight with Trixie, and ended up…I tortured another pony, princess! I crippled her! I hurt Applejack, too! I…I even threatened her family! I threatened Granny Smith, and…and even Applebloom! I threatened to kill a foal! Then, I…I tried to kill my best friends! I deserved this, didn't I?! This was my punishment, wasn't it?!" Twilight screamed.

"No, Twilight! Those things you did… you weren't yourself! Why would you even say…" Princess Celestia stammered, but was interrupted by her pupil.

"I would have done anything, princess! I would have done anything…anything to escape. I had already sacrificed my morals and ethics, but, I would have done anything they would have asked me, and I was so ashamed of that! I wished so hard for even for a moment of relief from the pain and fear of being hurt, but…but I knew it wasn't coming! I was dead, and there was on hope…there was nothing for me so I…I…" Twilight choked out, as she pushed her mentor away.

Princess Celestia was taken aback by the action, but slowly approached her student again. She didn't say anything and decided instead to let the unicorn get everything out.

"I GAVE UP!" Twilight Sparkle screamed as her head drooped forward.

"What?" Princess Celestia whispered.

"I gave up, princess. Before…before I came back, the last few attacks, I…I didn't run, I didn't even try to fight back, I…I just…I just… I let them do whatever they wanted to me," Twilight wept quietly as her tears dripped to the ornate marble floor.

The princess didn't say anything. She was flabbergasted with what she just heard. She pitied her poor student like never before. She wanted to take the pain away, to make her feel better, but she knew that there was nothing she could do. These were a part of her memories now, and there was nothing she could do about it. The alicorn made her way over to her student and pulled her tight into a hug, with Twilight still crying her eyes out, her body wracked with sobs.

"No matter what happens, Twilight, I will never let you go back there, do you hear me? As the very sun as my witness, I will never let you feel pain like that again," she whispered, holding her pupil.

As Big Mac shut the light and made his way out of the bathroom, he turned towards the windows of the princess' quarters. Luna was out on the balcony staring up at her moon. He could tell something was on her mind. As he made his way out towards the balcony window, he couldn't help thinking how lucky he was to be with a mare like Luna. She was beautiful, strong, everything he wanted in a mare. It did surprise him, however, how quickly he became accustomed to Canterlot living. He never stayed during his visits, as he often thought the city was too stuffy for his tastes. After being here for a while, however, he had to admit that the atmosphere was beginning to grow on him. Granted, it helped that he was a guest of the princess and therefore got to share in the royal treatment. He just assumed that since he was used to such hard physical labor his entire life, that he would get bored or frustrated being waited on, but to be honest, deep down, he rather enjoyed it. After all, he worked so hard, it was nice to have a break, even though it was under the absolute worst of circumstances. He shook his head at the thought, as he met his lover outside.

"Luna? Is there something wrong?" he asked quietly, as he sat down next to her.

"I…I don't know what to do, Big Mac. I may have completed my royal duties for the night, but I can tell you my mind was somewhere else entirely," she stated.

"Twilight Sparkle?" he guessed.

"Yes. With her condition, I…I guess I just don't know what to do. I…we've tried so hard to heal the emotional scares of your sister and her friends, but…but how do we keep the progress we've made? And how do we help Twilight? There has to be something we can do for her," Luna said, as she moved closer to the stallion.

Big Mac sighed as he put his hoof around her. She leaned into him, letting her lips curl into a soft smile. Regardless of the situation, it just felt so nice being held by a lover. It was something she hadn't experienced in a very long time, and it wasn't until she began experiencing it again did she realize just how much she missed it. They just stared at the moon for a few minutes before being startled by a sound from behind them.

"Ahem," a voice uttered loudly.

They both turned to see Applejack and Spike standing by the entrance. Luna and Big Mac both gave them puzzled looks as they walked over to the pair.

"A.J. what's wrong?" the stallion inquired.

"We need to talk," she answered.

Well, here is the next chapter! I hope everyone enjoys it!


	13. Chapter 13

Princess Luna stomped down the hallway with a scowl plastered on her face. Behind her were Applejack, Big Mac and Spike, each wearing similar expressions. The alicorn found their recent discussion enlightening to say the least. At first, she had to calm Spike and Applejack down, as their initial tone was more accusatory than she expected. Once they told her of her sister's re-commissioning of the telepod system, she was stunned. The earth pony mare and dragon didn't believe the princess at first, but after she explained that she was attending to other duties all evening, the tension between them ceased. It reignited, however, once she was told about Applejack's conversation with Fluttershy, and how her sibling wasn't allowing anyone into the throne room. As they walked in silence, the moon princess felt a twinge of regret in her heart after reacting the way she did. She'd been trying very hard to keep the use of her Royal Canterlot voice to a minimum, and she slipped once she heard that particular piece of information. She shook the thought from her head as the group approached the guards outside the main throne room doors. She had to admit, it surprised her to see six guards, and not the usual number.

'_She really is serious,'_ she thought to herself as she approached the guards slowly.

"I would speak with my sister. Open the doors, please," Luna said quietly.

The stallion in front of her gulped, but remained steadfast. He cleared his throat as he replied to the order.

"I…I'm sorry, Princess Luna, but Princess Celestia has order that no one be given access to the throne room without her express permission," he stated.

The alicorn's eyes narrowed as she leaned into the royal guard's muzzle. She could see the perspiration appearing on his brow. Nervous as he was, however, the stallion did stand his ground. She was impressed. Angry, but still impressed.

"That was not a request! Open those doors immediately, or step aside!" Princess Luna seethed through her teeth.

"Princess, please! You don't understand, she specifically ordered us…" the guard began only to be interrupted.

"I said move!" Luna shouted, causing the guard to close his eyes.

"Princess Luna, our orders were to keep you out! You, and the element bearers specifically, as well as anyone else without express permission! We…we apologize!" he stammered, still not giving ground.

Princess Luna huffed as her scowl deepened. She was getting in that room, no matter what the guards said. She needed to speak to her sister, regardless of her orders.

"I will give you one last chance to open those doors or step aside, Lieutenant! If you do not comply with MY order, I will remove you by force!" she shouted, as her horn began to glow.

The rest of the guards stood their ground, but she could tell they were scared. Their eyes went wide at first, but then they closed tight as they prepared themselves to receive whatever blow the moon princess saw fit to bestow upon them. After a few moments, Princess Luna spoke up again.

"Very well! Have it your way!" she exclaimed, as she surrounded the troops with her magic.

They tried to thrash about, but could not move within the confines of Luna's ethereal grip. Applejack, Big Mac and Spike watched in awe as the guards flew to the other side of the room, where she dropped them unceremoniously to the ground. They each grunted, as their bodies struck the floor with a resounding thud. With that distraction taken care of, Luna once again activated her magic, slowly opening the large ornate doors. The group walked in, and gasped at the sight. Before them were machines attached to wires and cables, ordaining the throne room like sterile decorations. Random tools and tool chests were scattered throughout the chamber as well. It looked more like a mechanic's shop than a throne room now. The telepods were also there, just as Fluttershy said. Applejack felt her knees quake at the sight. Her brother quickly recognized the fear in his younger sibling and was at her side in an instant, his hoof stroking her back.

"It's alright, A.J. We're here, nothing is gonna hurt you," the stallion whispered into his sister's ear.

As the group made its way further into the room, the sounds of clanging and twisting of metal became more prevalent. The angry look that Princess Luna wore a minute ago returned as she found her elder sibling fixing what looked to be the door of one of the telepods. Princess Celestia was completely fixated on what she was doing, and hadn't looked up once to acknowledge her sister or anyone else.

'_I…I can't believe this! She doesn't even know we're here!'_ the moon princess thought to herself as she cleared her throat.

"Ahem!" she choked loudly, startling her older sister.

"Ah! What?!" Princess Celestia shouted as she jumped from her position, startled.

The elder alicorn turned around, meeting the angry gaze of her sister and the others. Surprise quickly turned to anger as she straightened up, composing herself, although everyone could tell she was still quite flustered at the unannounced arrival.

"What is the meaning of this?! I ordered no interruptions! No one other than a few workers and doctors are even supposed to know what is going on in here? How did you find out? Where are the guards, Luna?! Please don't tell me you did what I think you did?!" the princess of the sun asked forcefully.

"What I…Tia, what in Equestria are you doing?!" Luna pressed, ignoring her sibling's inquiries.

Applejack, Big Mac and Spike were witness to a rare treat, as Celestia's jaw dropped like a foal who was just caught lying to a parent. Normally, even with this crisis, she was the most cool, calm and collected pony that anyone had ever laid eyes on. Spike couldn't help but smirk a little at the elder alicorn's predicament. Even with Twilight's return, he still hadn't forgiven her for taking him away from his surrogate big sister. He liked seeing her uncomfortable, even if it was only for a few moments, which it turned out to be, once Princess Celestia got her bearings. She sighed heavily as she straightened up, and addressed the small assembly before her.

"Please. I understand what you all may be thinking and feeling right now, but I can assure you, we have a good reason to be..." she started before being cut off by her pupil.

"Princess, I think I found the…" Twilight said before she let out a gasp, as she came around the corner of the telepod on the other side of the room.

Everyone turned to eye the new arrival to the conversation. They each felt their heart break at the sight. Twilight had removed her hooded coat, revealing her true mangled form. Applejack whimpered, as her knees started shaking again. The memories of the threats and beatings came back to her as she just stared wide-eyed at her former friend. Big Mac just closed his eyes and turned away from the deformed mare, as if he was willing his mind to do away with the image he'd just seen. Spike's smile dropped as he took a few steps towards the unicorn. She could see that he was trying his best to stop himself from crying, but he couldn't help the tears welling up in his eyes.

"Oh…oh…" Twilight muttered as she sat on her haunches, her head drooping.

If the unicorn's cheeks could still change color, they would be beet red. She brought her right hoof across her body, a nervous reaction to her newfound self-consciousness. Humiliation permeated her being, as she shut her eyes tight, turning away from everyone and whimpering slightly. Princess Celestia used the momentary silence to take back control of the earlier conversation.

"I know this looks bad, but please, let me explain," she began, as she walked over to her student.

"After Twilight came back, I began looking into her research on this project. Regardless of the results, she did an amazing job putting these together, and it is far beyond anything in Equestria we've ever seen before. With magic not being an option, I believe the answer to saving Twilight Sparkle lies within these machines," she said evenly.

"But…but…princess, they did so much damage! What in the world makes you think that these…things…will help Twilight?!" Applejack shouted nervously.

"It is…difficult to explain, but essentially, if the telepods can be used to fuse creatures together, then it may be possible to reverse engineer the process, and use them to separate two beings that were previously fused," the princess continued.

Luna, Big Mac, Applejack and Spike thought hard on the royal alicorn's proposal. It actually seemed quite logical. That did nothing to diminish the emotional links they all had with the telepods. Applejack couldn't stop shivering as she stared at the large metal compartments, and her brother was once again at her side, doing his best to keep her calm. After a few moments of silence, however, Twilight heard a soft voice speak up, as her eyes shot open.

"I…I want to help," Spike said just above a whisper.

Twilight Sparkle sighed as she stood up. She looked into his eyes, eyes so full of determination and sadness. She was going to have to disappoint him again, and it broke her heart to do so.

"No, Spike. What I….we…are going to have to do to make this work…is going to be…challenging. Only Princess Celestia and I will be able to do this, Spike. I'm sorry," she said quietly.

"But…but Twilight, I'm your number one assistant! You…you need me! Now more than ever!" he said his voice cracking.

"Spike, I'm sorry, but Twilight's right. You are still a baby dragon. This isn't the place for you," Princess Celestia interjected.

"I AM NOT A CHILD!" he shouted back, glaring at her.

"Spike, please…" Twilight started before being interrupted by her assistant.

"Twilight, I can't leave you alone again, you know that!" Spike said, doing his best to keep his voice even while talking to Twilight.

"Spike…" Princess Celestia started.

"No! This is your fault! I'm not going to listen to you!" the dragon yelled, cutting the alicorn off.

"No, Spike! This is MY fault! I…I did this to myself, and I'm the one that has to deal with it, and with the princess' help!" Twilight screamed back.

"It's only your fault because I wasn't there to stop you!" Spike retorted forcefully.

"Spike…you…you couldn't have stopped me," the unicorn said in a softer tone.

Spike sighed, walking right up to his best friend. He stood there, meeting her eye to eye. She could see how much he'd grown, as he was a little taller than her now. His eyes held a maturity, an experience that she never thought she'd see from him for a very long time.

"Twilight…you know I would have….you KNOW I would have," he stated slowly.

Twilight's head drooped again at the words. He was right. He was always the one who grounded her. If he saw what happened to Angel that day with Fluttershy, he would have alerted the princess, or tried to talk her out of continuing her work. He definitely would not have let her experiment on herself. However, she also knew how her own mind worked, and shuddered at the thought of what might have happened if he was around. She knew that in order to do what needed to be done, Spike could not be involved. She would spare her dragon friend any more pain than what he had already endured.

"Spike, please. I…I'm begging you, please leave this to the Princess and myself. Please. For me?" she said as her own voice began to crack.

Spike sighed deeply as he turned away from her, shutting his eyes tight. No one moved or said a word as the dragon contemplated his decision. He opened his eyes slowly, shooting Celestia a glare before turning back to Twilight.

"Alright, Twilight. Just, please be careful, ok?" he whispered.

"Oh, Spike!" Twilight cried as she leapt forward, hugging him tight.

He reciprocated her embrace, as they stood holding each other for a few minutes. Again, silence fell over the room, as they all watched the two close friends hug. Applejack's gaze eventually returned to the telepods, as she shuddered involuntarily. Despite what the princess said, she was still skeptical.

'_Ah…Ah gotta talk to the others. They need to know what's goin' on here!' _she thought to herself.

Finally, the others began filing out, seemingly satisfied with the princess' explanation, as the sun princess watched them. The looks they wore, however, shown nothing but worry. Applejack and Princess Luna in particular still seemed quite disturbed at the development. Once they were gone, Spike and Twilight broke the hug, and did their best to smile at each other. The unicorn turned around and went back to work. Spike shot Princess Celestia one more dirty look before exiting himself. The princess frowned, but did not say anything. His blame was justified, at least somewhat, and arguing with him would do no good. Shaking those thoughts from her head, she walked over by her student, who wore a look of melancholy.

"What's wrong, Twilight?" she inquired softly.

"I just…I just didn't have the heart to tell him, Princess," she answered.

"What do you mean?" the alicorn pressed.

"When…when he said 'you know I would have stopped you,' I couldn't help thinking, 'no, no you wouldn't have stopped me, because…because I would have…' she broke down in tears as her mentor embraced her.

"What is it, Twilight?" she whispered.

"Knowing me…he would have been Angel, Princess…he would have been Angel…"

Pinkie Pie's bleary eyes strained to read the first few lines of the scroll in front of her. She'd been at it all day, in the Star Swirl the Bearded Wing of the Canterlot Castle Library. After crying for hours in front of Discord's faux statue and then later in her room, something snapped inside of her. She was tired of crying. She was tired of the misery and the helplessness she felt, so she decided to do something about it. The earth pony calmed herself and began thinking. Thinking about options and what she could do to help her friend. She promised to no longer use her energy to wail, but would instead focus on solving the horrific problem that Twilight faced. Searching her mind, she thought hard about what they'd all been through, and if there was anything that could help. She realized that the answer had been in her head the whole time. The time spell. It was so simple. Even if Twilight couldn't cast it, certainly one of the princesses would be able to, and then they can stop this nightmare from ever happening. She rushed to the library as fast as her legs would allow, and immediately started going through scroll after scroll. After a few hours, the pink party mare's eyes became heavy, however. Perhaps it was time for a break. She was still waiting on the request she made of the library curator on the whereabouts of the scroll, but she couldn't just sit around, not with her friend's time running out. With a long sigh, she stood up from the table, stretching her legs and her back, as she made her way to the exit. Just as she was about to cross the threshold of the room, she heard a familiar voice.

"Pinkie Pie? What are you doing here?" Rainbow Dash said as she approached her friend.

The earth mare gasped, startled at the voice coming from her side. Her rainbow-maned compatriot's presence sullied her mood as she frowned. She was still mad at her friends for treating Twilight the way that they did.

"Wh…What am I doing here?! What are you doing here?!" she inquired defensively.

"Chill out, Pinkie! Princess Luna told me about a book on ancient flying techniques used by the Royal Guards from back in the day, and I thought I'd check it out, since I still have some time before I can start my rehab. What's with you, anyway? Why'd you snap at me?" she pressed.

Pinkie Pie was livid. Twilight Sparkle, someone she called a friend was a mere few rooms away dying, and the only thing Rainbow Dash could think about is flying? Her eyes narrowed as she stomped towards the pegasus, a determined look in her eye.

"What?! Twilight just got the worst news of her life, and all you can think about is yourself?! Oh, way to go, Ms. Element of Loyalty! You're the worst friend ever!" she shouted while poking Rainbow Dash's chest with her hoof.

The young flyer knocked her fellow mare's hoof away, as a scowl quickly found its way to her face. She leaned into Pinkie Pie, gritting her teeth.

"Oh, yeah, I'm gonna be real loyal to the unicorn that tried to kill me! Multiple times now! I'm going to stay away from her, and let the princess handle this, just like we should have done the first time around!" Rainbow Dash retorted.

"What happened to you, Rainbow?! Do you even remember any of the good times we had with Twilight? How we were all best friends? How could you just give up on her like this?!" Pinkie Pie inquired forcefully.

"Oh, you want to talk about memories? Fine, how about I tell you about my last vivid memory? I woke up on an operating table surrounded by doctors telling me that everything was going to be ok! And how about another one? When I woke up, I was told that Twilight, the mare who we were 'best friends' with hit me, held me down and BIT A HOLE THROUGH MY WING!" the pegasus shouted in Pinkie Pie's face.

The pink party mare gasped, startled at the flyer's aggressive behavior. Her head drooped as she looked away, unable to meet Rainbow Dash's gaze.

"I…I just don't understand why you all hate her so much! It…it's not her fault!" Pinkie stammered angrily.

"You know, I'm getting really sick and tired of your attitude, Pinkie!" Rainbow Dash shouted, unmoving.

"What?! MY attitude?! What are you talking about?!" Pinkie inquired defensively, as she backed away slightly.

"Ever since I've known you, Pinkie, you've never been able to see anything from anyone else's viewpoint! You see things your way, and to hay with everyone else! It was amusing when you were just getting others to like you, but in this situation? Come on, Pinkie! I'm standing in front of you with a bandage around my wing because Twilight attacked me! Do you really think I'm going to have the same opinion on this nightmare as you do? Not everyone thinks the same way as you do, Pinkie! And if you don't start respecting, or even acknowledging that your friends actually have good reasons to have a different perspective on this whole thing, then pretty soon, you're gonna start finding yourself without any friends at all!" Rainbow Dash yelled.

Tears soon found their way into Pinkie Pie's eyes, as she took in the pegasus' words. These weren't tears of sadness, however. They were tears of anger. How dare Rainbow Dash make such an accusation? Pinkie Pie always went out of her way to make her friends smile, to be there for them, and to support them, no matter what, and here was someone who was supposed to be her friend telling her that she was in fact doing the opposite. It infuriated her to be thought of in that way, especially after everything she and Rainbow Dash had been through together. She stomped forward, jutting her nose into the flyer's. Their eyes narrowed, either giving an inch.

"Well, you know what? If you keep going around and hating the ones who are supposed to be your friends, then pretty soon, you'll be the one who ends up alone! What do you think about that, element of loyalty?!" Pinkie Pie seethed.

"You didn't even listen to a word I said, did you, Pinkie?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"They weren't worth listening to!" Pinkie Pie shouted back.

The pegasus grimaced in disgust as she turned away from the earth pony. It amazed her how stubborn she was. Most of them thought that Applejack was the most obstinate of them, but in reality, no one could touch Pinkie Pie as far as sheer pig-headedness was concerned. She turned around in a huff, and began walking away from the pink-haired mare. She stopped and turned, glaring at her.

"You know the best way to stop a friend from being loyal? Betrayal, Pinkie! That's what kills loyalty, no matter how strong that loyalty is! Maybe you should think about that before judging me and how I feel!" Rainbow Dash snapped angrily.

"Ah hope Ah'm not interruptin'," a voice rang out from ahead of them.

Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash turned around surprised. Applejack was standing in front of them with a worried look on her face. The flyer and party mare soon turned red in embarrassment as their friend approached them.

"We were just…talking, A.J." Rainbow Dash said.

"It looked to be a little more than just talkin', R.D." Applejack said with a frown.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and huffed. She really didn't want to go through another argument right now.

"Did you want something, Applejack?" the pegasus asked flatly, as Pinkie Pie approached the two.

The farm mare shook her head. She needed to stay focused. Whatever issues Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie were going through, it was between them, and she didn't want to pry. She was there for a reason and it wasn't to get between the two if they were having a problem.

"Look, Ah got some news that yer not gonna like," she started.

Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash both turned to each other with a curios look and then turned back to Applejack.

"What do you mean?" Pinkie Pie pressed.

"Ah can't believe Ah'm sayin' this, but Princess Celestia is gonna try and use the telepods to help fix Twilight. She set them up in the throne room real hush-hush. She ain't lettin' anyone in 'cept her and Twilight," the orange earth pony stated.

"WHAT?!" Rainbow Dash shouted, as she flexed her wings, causing her to wince.

"Easy, Rainbow, Ah know this is big, but don't get too excited," Applejack said as she put her hoof on her friend's shoulder.

"E…excited?! How…how about mortified?! Terrified even?! Why in the world would Princess Celestia do something like this?!" Pinkie Pie yelled, as her knees began to shake.

"Easy now, sugarcube. It ain't gonna do ya no good gettin' yerself all worked up," Applejack said, trying her best to calm her friend.

"That doesn't answer her question, A.J. What in the world is the princess thinking?! And how they hay did you find out about it?" Rainbow Dash asked suspiciously.

"Ah…well, Ah had a run-in with Fluttershy. She…she was tryin' to run away. She told me that she found out what the princess was doin'. It scared the poor thing outta her mind! Ah knew Ah had to see if for mahself, so ah got Spike and Ah went to see Princess Luna. She was as surprised as we were. Sure enough, we went to the throne room, and there they were. Princess Celestia said that since they couldn't use magic to fix Twilight that if they could somehow reverse the operation of the telepods, that it could separate out Twilight's good atoms from her bad ones…or somethin' like that, Ah ain't exactly a science wiz," Applejack explained.

For a few minutes, silence hung in there air. Applejack didn't say anything, as she let her friends absorb what she just told them. Finally, Rainbow Dash spoke up.

"Does Rarity know yet?" the pegasus asked.

"Ah was actually on mah way to see her now. Care to come along?" Applejack asked.

Rainbow Dash nodded, as they began to make their way down the corridor. The farm mare turned around when she realized that Pinkie Pie wasn't following them. She eyed her curiously, but before she could ask if she wanted to go with them, she ran back into the library.

"What was that about?" Applejack asked.

"Nothing. Let's just go, ok?" Rainbow Dash said.

Applejack knew that whatever happened between the two was most certainly more than nothing. However, she and Rainbow Dash simply turned and began their journey once again.

'_Ah guess Ah'll just let it go, for now, at least. Maybe R.D. will open up once we get away from Pinkie Pie,'_ the earth pony thought to herself.

Just as Pinkie Pie was about to dive back into her research, she saw the librarian approach her from the corner of the eye. She turned around and did the best to compose herself after the news she just received. She couldn't believe how much had happened in only a few weeks, but she was more determined than ever to find a way to help Twilight. As she saw the expression the librarian wore however, her mood darkened even further.

"Were you able to find the scroll?" Pinkie Pie asked with hope lacing her voice.

"I'm very sorry, Ms. Pie, but I have some bad news. It looks like that particular scroll was taken from this library for transfer to our Manehatten branch. With the wedding, many scrolls and books were moved around," she said.

"So, it's in Manehatten? Ok then! Thank you so much!" the earth pony said her smile slowly returning.

"Ms. Pie, there's more. Unfortunately, there was an accident at the Manehatten branch right after those items were delivered," the unicorn librarian continued.

Pinkie Pie felt her heart stop as a feeling of foreboding washed over her. She gulped before asking her next question.

"Umm, what kind of accident? Nothing too bad, right?" Pinkie Pie inquired, trying her best to keep her positive tone.

"There was fire, Ms. Pie. It was right after the delivery, so we are certain that the documents and books that were delivered were all destroyed. This includes the scroll you were looking for. I'm very sorry," the librarian whispered.

Pinkie Pie's eyes welled up with tears involuntarily. She almost collapsed right there, but she held it in as best she could. She felt the tears stream down her face as she tried to speak.

"Th…thank you very much for all of your help. I…I won't bother you anymore. Thanks," the pink mare whispered as her voice began to crack.

Not wanting to disturb the librarian further, she ran out of the library, down the hallway. After a few steps, she collapsed onto the marble floor beneath her. Her quiet sobbing echoed through the chamber as she buried her face in her hooves. She broke her promise to herself as she just laid there crying. She just wanted to help Twilight, but how could she? This was her last hope, and it literally evaporated. She knew that Princess Celestia wouldn't let her help with any of the telepod research. Besides, what good would she be? She didn't know anything about science, let alone the advanced subjects needed to even comprehend something as complicated as the telepods. She was stuck. There was nothing she could do now, cut off from the one pony she would do anything to help.

'_I'm sorry…I'm sorry…'_ she thought to herself as she curled into a ball, pulling her legs in as tight as she could.

Princess Cadence turned over again, having yet to find a comfortable position. She brought the covers closer to her body, in a vain attempt to settle in. She sighed as she opened her eyes slightly. She'd been trying for the past hour to fall asleep, but she was getting nowhere fast. It had been about six months since her and her husband moved into Luna's castle. They knew the arrangement was temporary, of course. Luna had to take care of the rest of the elements of harmony and her sister, leaving her palace unattended. Considering what occurred all those months ago, a change of scenery was welcomed, even if Luna's castle was a bit dreary. At times, it could even be downright scary, especially at night. It didn't matter, though. At the beginning, the scenery was the furthest thing from their minds. Cadence turned again and buried her face in her pillow. The news of Twilight's death was such a shock. They had been barely back from their honeymoon when the summit started, and once Shining Armor became busy with that, time just seemed to blur together. Then the news of Twilight's demise came. She could still remember that night vividly. After attending to some royal duties for the conference, she'd gone to Celestia and Luna's room just to spend some time with them while they were on a break. She entered the chamber smiling, but her expression changed once she saw Princess Luna. Upon hearing the news of Rainbow Dash's arrival, she mirrored Luna's worried look as she relayed the tale to her. Deciding not to wait any longer, they teleported to Ponyville, only to find a bustle of activity. There were royal guards walking around the library and unicorn scientists putting all kinds of equipment and papers into boxes. It didn't take too long for a lieutenant to recognize the pair and he approached them swiftly. He couldn't relay that much information, but he did say that her husband and the elements of harmony were taking to the hospital by Princess Celestia. That was all the two alicorns needed to hear, as they took to the air as fast as they could. It was one of the worst feelings of her life, as time seemed to slow down to a snail's pace no matter how fast she flew. Her new husband was in the hospital. He'd been hurt, and she needed answers. It was hard to fly straight with that knowledge in her head. After what seemed like an eternity, they landed in front of the hospital, and ran into the waiting area up to the front counter. Before she could even get a word out the nurse got up and just said two words.

"This way," she stated.

The feelings of worry bubbled up insider her again during the run down the corridor. They turned with the nurse into one of the rooms, and lying in the bed at the center of the room was Shining Armor. Cadence held her breath, her mind racing as she tried to will out a sound, but nothing came. The nurse saw this and turned to her.

"Your husband will be fine, Princess. He suffered a blow to the head, but he should come around in a few hours. We have been monitoring him since he arrived, and he is stable," she said.

"Wh…what happened?! How did he get like this?!" Princess Cadence whispered as she felt tears forming in her eyes.

"All we know at this time is that there has been an accident at the library. We do not have the full details of the situation, but we have been told to prepare for the arrival of Princess Celestia and the elements of harmony. They should be arriving shortly," she answered.

Cadence and Luna both approached Shining Armor's bedside, sitting next to the unconscious stallion. The light colored Alicorn choked out a sob as she heard the beeps of the monitors echo throughout the room. Even under the caves of Canterlot, she'd never been this terrified. The sight of his unmoving form attached to wires and devices was too much for the mare, as she broke into a fit of sobs. Luna put a wing over her shoulders doing her best to comfort her.

"Princess Luna, would you like me to alert you when Princess Celestia and the others arrive?" the nurse asked from across the room.

The moon princess must have nodded as all Cadence remembered after that was a solid hour of tears. Finally, she heard a strained groan, as her husband's eye fluttered open.

"Huh? Wha?" he mumbled as he stared straight up at the ceiling.

Cadence almost collapsed as a wave of relief washed over her. She kissed Shining on the cheek before whispering in his ear.

"It's ok, Shining, I'm here. You're in the hospital. You were hurt in some sort of accident. You…you were just knocked unconscious is all. You…you'll make a full recovery, you'll be fine," she said reassuringly.

The stallion groaned again as she felt his wife's hug. They stayed like that for quite a while. At some point, she heard voices and hoof steps as Luna left them for a few minutes. Suddenly, she heard a voice from behind them.

"Cadence. How...how is he?" Princess Celestia whispered.

Cadence and Shining Armor both sat up, as they looked over at the sun princess. They gasped at the sight. Celestia looked like she'd been crying, her eye red and puffy. She slowly walked towards them as Shining Armor spoke.

"Well, the back of my head is gonna be sore for a few days, but other than that I should be fine," he uttered semi-cheerfully.

The mood suddenly changed as Celestia's expression changed. She sat down on the floor next to them as tears streamed down her face.

"You…you don't remember, do you Shining?" she asked, sniffling.

"No, I…Princess, what's wrong?" Shining asked worriedly.

"Shining, Cadence, I'm sorry, but I have terrible news," Celestia stammered.

Once Celestia finally told them, they both broke down into uncontrollable wailing. They hugged each other tight, but it did nothing to comfort either one of them. She was dead. His sister, his blood. The little foal that she helped raise. It was too much for them, and was quite a strain on their young marriage. So, when the offer came to house sit Luna's castle, they decided to take it. They thought that by getting away from everything for a bit would be good for them, and give them time to heal. Unfortunately, it didn't work out quite the way they had planned. She felt them drifting apart under the weight of such a terrible tragedy. Shining Armor was closing himself off to her more and more every day. When they were together, it was difficult for them to even make small talk anymore. Things came to a head when she tried to initiate some intimacy between them last month. Not only did he spurn her advances, but the screaming match that followed sent her off to another room crying her eyes out. She hadn't meant to be inappropriate, but she was just trying to get him to think about something else. He was spiraling downward, and she felt powerless to help stop it.

"Shining?" she whispered.

There was no answer, so she called out to him again. After a few more moments of silence, she turned over in the bed, only to find that he wasn't there. She sighed heavily as she got up and left the bedroom in search of her husband. She could hear the faint sound of grunts and exhaling, and soon found Shining Armor in the main hall wielding a spear. She had to admit it was quite impressive. Since he was a unicorn, he could have simply used magic to use the weapon, but not her Shining. He was using his front hooves, to whirl the spear through the air with speed, strength, and precision. She couldn't help but smile at the sight. He was, after all, the Captain of the Guard. After a few more minutes of quietly watching, she decided to speak up.

"Speaking as your wife, honey, I can already tell you that you're a master at wielding your lance," she said in a sultry voice as she leaned up against the large ornate door frame, offering her husband a seductive smile.

Stopping his practice for a moment, he took a second to catch his breath before turning to his spouse.

"I'm sorry. I didn't wake you, did I?" he stated evenly.

The alicorn frowned at the response, as she stood up and made her way over to him slowly.

"Shining, I'm worried about you. Look, I…I know this has been hard on you. It's been hard on all of us, but you need to start letting go of your pain a bit," she answered.

He turned away from her, staring out the lavish palace windows which ordained the main room. He stared up at the moon, with a look of heavy contemplation plastered on his face. He sighed as he felt the hoof of his lover touch his back.

"Please. Talk to me," she whispered.

"It's just…Cadence, I miss her so much. And…and I'm so angry at myself for not doing better, I guess" he whispered as his head drooped.

"Doing better? What do you mean?" Princess Cadence pressed.

"Look, I didn't tell you this, because…I wanted to protect you, but…I think I have to now. I've…I've remember what happened that night right before I was knocked out. What I saw. It…it took a lot of magical healing, but I was determined to fill in the gaps. Cadence, it was horrific. The monster she became was so grotesque, and yet…she recognized me, Cadence. She…she called out to me right before…before…" he stammered.

"What is it? Tell me, please?" she begged.

"The…the telepod transported her right after she reached out to me, and when she…when she reappeared…she still alive, but she was…cut in half," he continued.

He heard Cadence gasp and pull away from him. She knew the history of the incident, but she never pressed for details of that night. She just knew that Twilight was killed because she experimented on herself, and everything came to a head when she tried to cure herself using her friends' DNA. Therefore, when Shining Armor stated that Twilight was in fact cut in half, she knew he was being literal.

"My sister. My baby sister, was crawling towards me…with…with shards of glass and pieces of metal sticking out of her body…her…her legs were missing, and…and I could tell that she knew where she was. She was in so much pain, Cadence! She just wanted the pain to go away and…and…there was nothing I could do…NOTHING!" he shouted through the sobs, as he smashed the spear on the ground making it shatter.

Cadence yelped at her husband's action. She'd never seen him like this before, and his temper scared her. She soon felt tears of her own form in her eyes. She wanted so badly to help her husband, but how could she? Especially after hearing this. She had no idea that Twilight's death was so graphic, and she gained a new found understanding of what her husband was going through. The question remained however; would he let her in?

"Shining, I'm so sor…" she started before he cut her off.

"I'm going to bed now," he stated flatly, as he turned and walked right past her.

Her head drooped, as she closed her eyes tightly. She had no idea how to handle this. She was lost, and unable to even begin to contemplate how to help her husband. She wanted to badly to be there for him, but she kept pushing her away. She was scared now more than ever about the future of their relationship, and its strength to endure. She sighed as she brought her neck up, staring at the moon. She whispered to herself through the tears.

"_Sunshine…sunshine_

_Lady bugs…awake._

_Clap your…your hooves_

_And do a little shake"_

She collapsed to the floor wailing. Everything was falling apart around her, and she couldn't do anything about it. She didn't even know where to begin, and each passing second was drawing her away from the stallion she loved and wanted to spend the rest of her life with. The realization hit her hard as she crossed her front hooves and sobbed into them.

'_Oh, Twilight! I miss you so much!'_ she thought to herself as she cried.

Well, another chapter in the books! I hope everyone had a good holiday weekend! So, quick question, just something I've been wondering about. I have this story marked as "mature." Do you think the content warrants the "mature" rating, or do you all think I'm being paranoid? Any thoughts on this?


	14. Chapter 14

Twilight Sparkle had been breathing heavy for the last hour, but she pushed through the fatigue, as she used her magic to grip the wrench and twist the next bolt into place. She and Princess Celestia had been at it all night, and were slowly inching closer and closer to a test run. So much of the equipment had been damaged in the initial event that she was surprised any of it was working at all. After the tense meeting with Spike and rest, the unicorn did her best to concentrate on her work. She was only momentarily distracted when a few work ponies showed up to talk to the princess, but that was several hours ago. Since then, she'd kept her nose to the grindstone, using it to block out the emotional turmoil going on inside her. After securing the bolt to her satisfaction, she levitated the tool back to the tool box. Before it could reach, however, Twilight's magic faltered, and the wrench fell to the ground, bouncing up striking across the mare's right hoof. The edge raked across the appendage, causing her to squeal.

"Ahhh!" she cried as she winced in pain.

"Twilight, are you alright?" Princess Celestia called out from behind one of the telepods.

"Yes, I'm fine, Princess. I just dropped a tool, that's all," she answered in a frustrated tone.

The royal alicorn slowly trotted to her pupil's side and leaned in to inspect the damage. There didn't seem to be a laceration or contusion. Granted, it was much harder to tell if Twilight was injured due to her grotesque form. She frowned at the thought as she turned to her student. She was tired. She may not have needed sleep in the same way as before, but the unicorn was burning out and needed a respite.

"Twilight, you've been working very hard, and I'm so proud of you for doing so, despite the circumstances. But, I believe it's time you get some rest," she said.

Twilight's head drooped as she started at the ground. She didn't want to admit it, but her teacher was right. Her new physiology may have allowed her to work longer and harder, but even it had a breaking point. She'd been obsessive about her work before, and by now she knew what kind of result she'd yield if she pushed herself too hard. This time, she was going to be smart about it and take her mentor's advice.

"You…you're right, Princess. I am very tired, and if I worked any longer, I'm afraid I'd just get in the way," she whispered.

"Nonsense, Twilight. You just need some time to recharge. I…I've had some of the workers prepare a special room for you. It's…different from what you're used to, but I ask that you keep an open mind," the sun goddess said, looking away from her pupil.

"Different?" Twilight asked, tilting her head up.

Fluttershy continued to stare at the bottle of wine as she sat at the desk in her quarters. She'd been up all night, and her eyes were heavy. She couldn't sleep, not with knowing the telepods were in the same building being remade even as she thought. Her restlessness finally got the better of her when she went down to the mess hall to see if she could get something to eat. No one was there, and although she didn't want to intrude, her stomach betrayed her as she rummaged through some of the smaller items. A chamber in the corner of the kitchen had caught her eye, and when she opened the door, there they were. Adorning shelves upon shelves were bottles of wine. She still didn't know what possessed her to take it. She wasn't a thief, and both Princess Celestia and Princess Luna told her to make herself at home when it came to getting a meal or something to drink. Granted, she didn't think this was the kind of drink they meant, but she just kept telling herself it was alright based on what the royal alicorns deemed fit. She tilted her head slightly, still eyeing the bottle curiously. She'd never really imbibed alcohol before. Of course she'd been of age for a few years or so now, and she'd tried a sip here and there when forced upon her, but with being away for as long as she had, she didn't exactly have a lot of time to experiment. That wasn't the real reason though. It was just the surface lie that she told herself. In reality, she was scared to try it. To really try it, not just give in when someone forced her to try it. Just like everything else in her life she was scared of it. She sighed heavily, as she used her right hoof to caress the glass container lightly. She'd been around others that had consumed the substance before. After a while, they all had one thing in common.

They all looked happy.

And they certainly didn't look afraid. She was so tired of the fear. It was like a burning in her blood that would never leave her. She wanted so badly to leave this place, but she'd made a promise to Applejack, which she couldn't break. Now back in her room, however, she started to think about why she wanted to leave in the first place. The fear was inside her. It was a part of her. So, even if she left, would the fear leave also?

'_Probably not,'_ she thought heavily, answering her own question.

It amazed her really. Just drinking a few drops of this, and no matter how shy or timid someone was, their issues would just melt away. It was like some magic elixir that turned you into Pinkie Pie. She'd seen it happen before with plenty of other ponies.

'_Maybe this is my answer. If I can't escape physically, then maybe…just maybe, I can get out of my own head, at least for a little while,'_ she mused.

She took the bottle in her front hooves and used her mouth to pull the cork off. The popping noise it made scared her a bit, as she jumped slightly. She cursed herself silently as she looked away. Again, even with the simple act of opening a bottle, fear still found its way into her heart. She'd had it. She needed to make it go away before she lost herself in it.

'_Well, a little sip won't hurt, right?' _

She took a deep breath, as she gave a light sniff over the neck of the bottle. It smelled good, almost fruity. This was it. She wrapped her lips around the bottle and leaned her head back, letting the liquid slide down her throat. She let the taste permeate her mouth as she swallowed.

'_It's…it's good!' _the pegasus thought as her lips curled in a smile.

She was smiling. The mere taste was making her smile. It was like some miracle. Finally a reprieve of the horror that she faced was filling her belly. She was finally feeling different. She was feeling good.

'_O…ok. Let me try another sip,'_ she thought, as she tilted her head back again.

The stallion fell to the side, collapsing on the posh blankets and sheets that adorned Rarity's bed. Their labored breaths filled the room as Rarity turned over to face her lover. She forced a smile as he turned towards her, using his hoof to caress her cheek lightly. This was their first rendezvous in a while, so he'd been quite excited to get back under the covers with the unicorn. She could tell that he missed her, which broke her heart. She had so much on her mind as of late that she couldn't even count on these activities to provide a distraction. The only reason she even let the liaisons continue was to keep her cover. It's not that she didn't find him hansom, it was just that she couldn't let him know that something was wrong. Despite whatever feelings he may have had towards her, he was still a member of the royal guard, and loyal to the princesses. She'd never dare tell him of her secret meetings with Twilight Sparkle, nor that it was very possible that she was the reason for her fellow unicorn's plight at the moment. The mere thought made her frown and turn away from the stallion, her back now to him. Once their breathing calmed down, she felt a hoof lightly stroke her side.

"Rarity, are…are you alright? Did…did I do something wrong?" he whispered worriedly.

"Oh, no darling, not at all. You're just as…well…spirited as ever. I simply have a lot on my mind right now," she answered.

"Yeah. I…I heard about Ms. Sparkle. I'm really sorry about your friend," he said.

Rarity winced at the comment, her eyes widening. She couldn't tell him the truth about her feelings towards Twilight, but the words had made her façade falter for a brief moment. The unicorn took a deep breath, before putting on her best face, and turning over. She soon regained her composure, as she looked back into his eyes and smiled.

"Thank you for your concern. It has been a…difficult time for her…and for the rest of us," she said.

The stallion smiled, as he got up from the bed and began putting on his armor. They didn't say anything to each other, as the unicorn just watched the royal guard get ready silently. She willed herself to smile a bit wider, letting him know how much she appreciated his presence, even though she couldn't tell him the reason she was happy for it. For a brief moment in time, when their bodies were intertwined during their lovemaking, her mind drifted away from the anxiety that encompassed her life now. She could escape it, even if it was only for a short time, and for that she was grateful for him. Soon, he was fully adorned in his military garb, and he turned to face Rarity, greeting her with a smile. He truly was a fine example of manhood. Perhaps once this whole thing is over, they could discuss their future together, but not now. There was too much going on to even think about it, but maybe someday. For now, the fashion expert would have to settle for the status quo, and she was alright with that.

"So, I can be by in another two days, Rarity. Is…is that alright?" he whispered.

Rarity couldn't help but chuckle. It amazed her how bashful he could especially right after such intimate relations they had with one another. It added a dimension of boyish charm to their relationship, which the unicorn couldn't help but find adorable.

'_He really is cute when he blushes,'_ she thought to herself as she got up and made her way over to him.

She stood in front of him for a moment before bringing her lips to his in a deep kiss. She broke the kiss, and leaned in to whisper in his ear.

"I believe you have the answer to your question, sir," she purred.

He kissed her cheek gently before making his way towards the bathroom. He needed to clean himself up a bit, and in a few minutes he was back in the mare's bedroom. Rarity was once again lying on the bed, giving him a teasing gaze. She seemed to love playing with him like that, but by now, he was used to it. He shook his head and smiled as he turned to leave. Before he could open the door, however, he heard his lover's voice once again.

"Wait," she said, sitting up.

"Yes?" he asked while looking over his shoulder at her.

"Well, I…I wanted to know if we could disc…you know what? Never mind," she said, waving her hoof casually.

"Is there something…" the stallion pressed before being cut off.

"No. Not at all. Don't worry about it, it's nothing. Now, it's time to go serve your country, so get back out there and make me proud," she said quickly changing the subject.

Smiling and nodding the stallion turned and opened the door. Within a few moments, the door creaked closed, and he was gone. As soon as the door shut, the feelings of anxiety returned. Rarity turned over in bed, pulling her pillow closer, as her brow furrowed in worry. As the seconds ticked by, she sighed and slowly got up, making her way to the shower, thoughts of her lover weighing on her mind. More questions made their way into her mind as she stepped into the shower, letting the water cascade down her form. Perhaps there was something between them, but if anyone found out what she did, how would it affect them? If she were in his position and someone told her of such a crime, she'd break if off with him on the spot. Would he do the same? Not to mention, he is a royal guard. If their affair was brought to light along with her crimes, would he be prosecuted? Their meetings were already secret, so, it was possible that he could be looked at as some sort of co-conspirator, or at the very least as concealing evidence. She whimpered at the thought as she turned around letting the water cleans her. The unicorn's stomach once again tied itself in knots over such contemplations. The more she thought about the consequences, the more confused and nervous she became. Only one questions echoed through her mind, the same question she'd been asking herself for weeks.

'_What am I going to do?' _she thought to herself as tears streamed down her face.

After drying off, the unicorn made her way back towards her bed, still deep in thought over her recent predicaments. She leapt up onto the ornate mattress, lying down above her covers, resting her head down gently on her pillow. The sound of knocking startled her, as she shot up from her bed with a gasp. Her lover had already left, but had he forgotten something? It seemed unlikely, as she remembered seeing him in his full regalia. Within moments, Rarity leapt from her bed and dashed towards the door, opening it slightly. She was surprised to find Applejack and Rainbow Dash standing by her entrance. She immediately noticed the looks on their faces. Something happened.

"Rainbow Dash? Applejack? What's wrong?" she asked, pulling the door wide.

"We need to talk, Rar," Applejack stated.

The look of apprehension on Princess Celestia's face was quite overt as Twilight Sparkle eyed her curiously. They'd been walking for a full ten minutes, and in the opposite direction of her usual quarters. They also weren't headed towards the unicorn's library home either. Wherever this 'special room' was, it was much father into the castle than she had originally thought. Finally, as they were about to turn a corner, the royal alicorn stopped and sighed. She turned to face her student, and knelt down to speak.

"Twilight, before you see this, I want you to listen to me. Can…can you do that?" she asked.

"Of course, Princess," the unicorn answered, giving her teacher a puzzled look.

"Twilight, first and foremost, you are not being punished. However, due to your…changes…we have to take certain precautions now. We…we need to make sure you don't hurt yourself, or anyone else. You are far stronger than an earth pony, and have a monumental amount of magical ability. In your…state…we need to keep an eye on you…at….at all times. Do you understand?" Princess Celestia said.

Twilight Sparkle bit what was left of her bottom lip nervously. She didn't like the way that any of this sounded. Usually when her parents would start a conversation with 'you aren't being punished,' whatever task or action that came next would most certainly look or feel like a punishment. She shrank back from her mentor as she struggled to speak.

"Wh…what do you…Princess, what do you mean?!" she uttered nervously, quickly standing straight and running past her teacher, rounding the corner.

As she did, she stopped dead in her tracks, as her eyes widened in confusion. Before her was one of the royal suites, but it seemed like the wall facing her had been removed. Every ten feet or so, there was a royal guard standing at attention. There must have been about ten in total, all wearing their usual stoic faces. Her deformed jaw worked up and down, as she tried to will out a sound, but nothing came out. She shivered in surprise as she felt Princess Celestia's wing stroke her back lightly. She turned to her teacher, her face yearning for an explanation.

"We've prepared this special room for you. As you can see, the main wall has been removed, and a special glass has been put in its place. I cast a few spells on the glass and the room itself. You'll be able to talk and hear others like they were right in front of you, so you won't have to step outside. It has all the amenities that any other suite in the castle has," she said.

Twilight turned her head to again gaze into the room. Sure enough, once she studied it further, she saw the princess was telling her the truth. There was a bed, a desk, bathroom, and everything else that all of the other rooms in the castle had, just exposed. That's what frightened her, however. She'd be exposed to the world, her horrid deformity on display for anyone who was walking by. She turned back towards her mentor, eyeing her suspiciously.

"Why? Why would you do this? Am I your student, or some sort of criminal?!" she shouted angrily, while backing away from her teacher.

"Twilight, please, as I just explained, with your condition, we just need to keep an eye on you, that's all," the royal alicorn answered.

Twilight backed away from the princess slowly, her face twisting in anger. Almost at once, theory upon theory of why her teacher wanted to lock her away exploded in her mind. Becoming more nervous by the second, she let instinct take over, as she ran as fast as she could around the corner away from the princess.

"TWILGHT! WAIT!" Princess Celestia shouted as she turned in pursuit of her student.

She didn't know where she was going, but her mind and instinct told her to get away from that room as fast as she could. Her newfound power was making her much faster than she has ever been before, and the elder mare was having trouble keeping up.

'_I…I can't believe how fast she is! I need to put a stop to this right now!'_ Celestia thought as she activated her magic to put up a barrier.

Twilight almost slammed into the glowing wall, but was able to skid to a halt just in time. She took a low stance as she turned to face her captor.

"What is it, Princess?! What is the real reason you want me in that room?!" the unicorn shouted.

"Please, Twilight, calm down! No one is trying to hurt you!" the alicorn answered, doing her best to keep her voice calm.

"NO! NO, I DON'T BELIEVE YOU! IT'S BECAUSE I FAILED ISN'T IT?! I DISOBEYED YOU, SO NOW YOU WANT TO LOCK ME AWAY, AND PUT ME ON DISPLAY! YOU…YOU WANT ME TO BE A REMINDER JUST IN CASE ANYONE ELSE EVER THINKS ABOUT GETTING OUT OF LINE! IS THAT IT?!" Twilight screamed.

"Twilight, no, that's not it at all! You…you aren't yourself right now, please just calm down!" Princess Celestia said, her voice beginning to crack as she slowly approached the mare.

"NO, YOU'RE RIGHT, HOW COULD I HAVE BEEN SO STUPID?! YOU…YOU WANT TO SEE WHAT MAKES ME TICK! YOU…YOU'RE A SCIENTIST! YOU'RE THE ONE WHO GAVE ME MY LOVE OF SCIENCE, SO IT'S JUST LOGICAL THAT YOU WOULD WANT TO KNOW ALL MY LITTLE SECRETS! I BET YOU ARE JUST WAITING FOR ME TO DIE SO YOU CAN SLICE ME OPEN AND EXPERIMENT ON ME! THAT'S WHAT I AM TO YOU NOW, HUH? I DISOBEYED THE BIG, BAD RULER OF EQUESTRIA, SO ALL I'M GOOD FOR IS CHEAP ENTERTAINMENT FOR YOUR SOLDIERS AND SOME RESEARCH NOTES!" Twilight bellowed, as she stomped forward.

"Twilight, you know me better than that! I just want you to rest, please!" Princess Celestia begged, as she slowly walked towards her pupil.

Twilight Sparkle's eyes narrowed as the princess approached her. She clenched her jaw, bearing her now jagged teeth.

"STAY BACK! I'M…I'M WARNING YOU!" the unicorn shouted, lowering her stance even more.

"Twilight, stop, I-AHHGG!" Celestia screamed as her student tackled her to the ground.

The two mares wrestled, the royal alicorn doing her best to restrain her student, but it was much more difficult than she thought. Twilight's strength was astounding especially for a unicorn, and the wild attack took Princess Celestia by surprise. The hallway echoed with the sounds of struggle, as grunts forced their way out of each of their throats. After a few moments, the princess strained as she heaved herself on top of Twilight, bringing down half of her weight onto her student's back, pinning her. Twilight still struggled beneath her, squirming and twisting wildly.

"Twilight…please…you have to calm down…I…I…don't want to hurt you! I just…want you to get…some rest! I…I swear!" Celestia huffed through labored breaths.

Twilight Sparkle was still struggling violently underneath the larger mare. Her face twisted in anger, as she squirmed. The princess could not believe Twilight's energy. It was very possible that if it wasn't for her sheer girth, she would have been overtaken. If she wasn't so scared, she would have been amazed. Suddenly, Twilight turned violently, her back now to the floor. Using her front hooves she began striking the alicorn's chest and shoulders, forcing the princess to wince.

"I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU, DO YOU HEAR ME?! I WISH I NEVER CAME BACK HERE! I WISH YOU NEVER SENT ME TO PONYVILLE! I WISH I NEVER MET ANY OF MY SO-CALLED FRIENDS, AND I WISH YOU NEVER TOOK ME ON AS YOUR PERSONAL STUDENT! THIS IS YOUR FAULT! YOU DID THIS TO ME! YOU TAUGHT ME HOW TO DO THIS TO MYSELF, AND THEN YOU GOT RID OF ME! YOU NEVER CARED ABOUT ME! I COULD NEVER BE THE DAUGHTER YOU ALWAYS WANTED, COULD I?! I HOPE YOUR SISTER BANISHES YOU TO THE SUN, JUST LIKE YOU DID TO HER!" Twilight screamed at the top of her lungs as she thrashed about wildly.

Tears flowed freely from Princess Celestia's eyes, the cause of her crying a mixture of the physical pain she was enduring under Twilight's assault combined with her harsh words. She kept telling herself that she didn't mean it. That she was just confused and that her paranoia was just a symptom of her transformation, but that didn't make the words sting any less.

"Twilight…Nghh! Please…Ahh! Calm down! I'm…Ngh…begging you!" she said, doing her best to quell the unicorn's rage.

Slowly, Twilight's struggling ceased, as she squirmed again, turning herself onto her belly, her screams transforming into sobs. It broke the princess' heart to see her like this. Even though she wasn't facing her anymore, Celestia could hear what kinds of cries they were. They were cries of fear, and she was now the focal point of that fear. Her student was now deathly afraid of her.

"Please…someone, help me! She's…she's going to kill me, please….PLEASE SOMEBODY HELP ME!" Twilight cried in between her body wracking sobs.

"Twilight…I love you! I love you, and I would never hurt you! Please, calm down! Please…please!" the alicorn choked through tears of her own.

"LIAR! YOU DON'T LOVE ME! AND I DON'T LOVE YOU, YOU WITCH!" Twilight shouted, as she tried desperately to crawl away.

"It's ok, Twilight! I know you don't mean it! You're scared and confused, but please, I love you and I always will!" the princess retorted.

Using her wings, she surrounded her pupil, and standing up quickly, she used her front hooves to hook around Twilight's body pulling the blubbering mare to her chest as she leaned up against the wall. The unicorn was still kicking every few moments, but the strikes were feeble now as she finally began to tire. The princess just cradled her like a foal holding her tight, rocking her back and forth.

"Shhh…it's ok, Twilight….it's ok now…" the princess whispered in her ear.

Twilight Sparkle's eyes finally became heavy, as she continued to mutter to herself. She was drifting, her exhaustion finally getting the better of her. Right before the darkness took her, she was able to mutter a single phrase.

"I'm sorry," she whispered before drifting to sleep.

Celestia's body finally relaxed, as she sighed deeply. Her face was still wet from the tears, and she continued to cry. The words were so hurtful, but they didn't matter. All that mattered was helping Twilight, whether her broken psyche accepted it or not. For a few more moments, the hallway was silent, as Celestia continued to hold her student rocking her gently. Once she was able to collect herself, she used her magic to levitate the sleeping unicorn back down the hallway, and into her new quarters. The royal guards were at her side in an instant upon seeing the bruises that adorned their ruler's shoulders and chest.

"Princess, are you alright?!" the main guard asked worriedly.

"Yes, I'm fine. As you all know by now, Twilight Sparkle is…not herself. I was forced to…restrain her. She's calm now, and the spells I've set up in her new chambers will ensure that she stays there," she answered, as she walked into the room.

She levitated her pupil into the new bed, and used her mouth to pull the covers over the unicorn. She just stared at her for a moment, watching her disfigured chest rise and fall.

"I love you so much, Twilight!" she whispered, her voice cracking again.

After a few moments of watching Twilight sleep, she made her way out of the room, using her magic to seal the door, leaving the scholar to get some rest.

"That's ridiculous! You mean to tell me that we aren't even allowed inside?!" Rarity practically shouted as she walked down the corridor with Rainbow Dash and Applejack beside her.

"Ah know, sugarcube, but there ain't much we can do about it. Ah mean this is Princess Celestia's direct order. How exactly do we one-up that?" Applejack asked.

It'd been the same conversation for the past half hour or so. To say Rarity was livid at the use of the telepods would be an understatement. It enraged her to think of those horrible things being used again, especially by the princess. She'd heard Applejack and Rainbow Dash play devil's advocate, but it did nothing to convince the unicorn that using the machines was the right decision.

"Look, Rar, we're all upset about it, believe me, but what the princess says makes sense. If anyone can handle this, it's Princess Celestia," Applejack said.

Rarity huffed as she stopped walking for a moment, looking to the floor. This was getting out of control, even for the princess. Although, as much as she was pained to admit it, her friend did have a point. Reversing the polarity of the telepods may be the only way out of this mess. The doctors have already said that magic is almost completely out of the question, unless they want to put another life in danger. She looked up and over at Rainbow Dash. The pegasus' expression was blank, which piqued Rarity's curiosity.

"Rainbow Dash, if you'll beg my pardon, how exactly do you feel about all this? You've barely said a word since you and Applejack came to talk to me," she inquired.

The flyer let out an annoyed grunt as she sat down and turned her head away from her fellow elements. It was a good question. Once she got over the shock of knowing that the telepods were reactivated, she never bothered to actually think about where she stood on the whole thing. She was still coming to terms with Twilight Sparkle being back and everything that's happened since has been like a whirlwind to her. She needed some time to figure out where she stood on everything, but right now, she needed to answer the question, so she did, in the most honest way she knew how.

"I gotta be honest, I'm not really sure how I feel about it. A.J.'s right, it does make sense, but at the same time, I mean, come on, it's the telepods, for Equestria's sake! I still don't trust them, and I don't trust Twilight, but…well, I guess I trust the princess. Even before I knew about the telepods coming back into this, I thought the best course for me was to stay out of the princess' way, let her handle things, and focus on my rehab," she answered.

"Oh," Applejack said, as she looked around nervously.

Rainbow Dash frowned at the farm mare's reaction. She knew that it wasn't the answer that she wanted to hear, but it was the truth, nonetheless. The pegasus stood, and walked over to her friend, placing her right hoof on Applejack's shoulder.

"Look, A.J., I know maybe that isn't the answer you were looking for from me, but I'm just trying to be honest here. When…when everything happened before, I flew my tail off trying to get to Princess Celestia, because down in that basement you were right, A.J. You said that we should have gone to the princess in the first place. You were right then, and I think you're right now, ok?" the flyer said.

"Ah know, Rainbow, Ah just…Ah hate bein' on the sidelines, ya know? Ah…Ah wanna do somthin' but what can ya do when they start talkin' about atoms and stuff? Ah don't understand any of that, Ah'm just a good ol' farm gal from Ponyville," she said.

Rarity eyed Rainbow Dash suspiciously. She may have been mistaken, but it seemed to her that the rainbow-maned mare was holding something back. She decided to let it go, though. After all, she had plenty of secrets to keep herself. It wouldn't exactly be ladylike to pry anyway.

'_Besides, she's right. If anyone can figure out a way out of this nightmare, it's Princess Celestia. Even still, do we really want to hedge our bets on one mare? Even if that mare is a princess?' _she thought to herself.

Suddenly, her ears perked up as she heard a faint sound coming from the other end of the hallway. She couldn't make it out at first, but whatever it was, it was getting closer.

"What the hay is that?" Applejack asked with a look of confusion on her face.

"Shh. I think it's coming this way," Rarity whispered, as the three mares turned to see who was approaching them.

After a few moments, the group was able to make out a figure in the distance. As it got closer to their location, they were finally able to view the source of the laughter. It was Fluttershy. She was smiling and laughing as she stumbled down the hallway, humming a happy tune to herself. Her friends just stared at her wide-eyed. The animal lover finally came to a halt in front of them, still swaying softly from side to side.

"Hi, girls! Wanna come sing with me?" Fluttershy asked in an exaggerated tone.

"Fluttershy, what on earth has happened to you?!" Rarity exclaimed running up to the mare in concern.

She stopped short and turned her head away from the stench that radiated from the timid pegasus' being. It was alcohol, and she wore the smell on her breath as well as the rest of her.

"Oh, my goodness, Fluttershy, dear, have you been drinking?!" Rarity demanded.

"I…I most certainly have, my dear, dear, dear Rarity!" she stammered before letting out a fit of giggles.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash looked at each other in surprise before making their way over to the other pair. This was not good. From the looks of it, Fluttershy had consumed quite a substantial amount of whatever it was that she'd been drinking.

"Fluttershy, of all the…where did ya even find alcohol in this place?!" Applejack inquired.

"Well, Applejack, that's my…little..secret!" the pegasus answered while poking the farm mare's nose a few times.

"Fluttershy, how much have you had exactly?" Rarity asked.

"Ohhhhhhh…just a bottle, that's all! One little bottle," she answered.

"One bottle? Fluttershy, what I smell coming from you is wine. Are…are you telling me that you had an ENTIRE bottle of wine?!" the unicorn shouted.

"Betcha didn't think I had it in me did ya?!" Fluttershy said puffing her chest out proudly.

"Seriously, Flutters, what possessed you to drink in the first place?! This isn't like you at all!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

"Because, Rainbow….BECAUSE, RAINBOW…I'm much more vigil…vigil…vigilant than you might realize. And when EVERYONE was having a good time, and laughing, and smiling, I was there too, ya know! Watching…waiting…and now, it's my turn!" she said while throwing her front hooves in the air.

Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity all turned to each other with looks of confusion plastered on their faces. They had no idea what to do. The fact that Fluttershy would do this to herself was completely unreal to them. Finally, after a few moments, Rarity spoke up again.

"Listen, Fluttershy. While I'm sure you're having a good time, why don't we get you back to your room. Let's get you into bed, where you can relax and get some rest, alright?" she said soothingly.

Fluttershy frowned as she eyed the unicorn warily. Without warning, she shoved Rarity into Applejack and Rainbow Dash as she took to the air, hovering above them.

"Oh, no you don't! You are NOT gonna ruin the most fun I've had in over seven months!" she shouted as she started to sway clumsily.

"Fluttershy, get down! Yer gonna hurt yourself!" Applejack yelled as she helped Rarity up.

"Oh yeah? Why? 'Cause I'm not as good of a pegasus as Dashie?!" she retorted in an biting tone.

"Fluttershy, even I wouldn't fly if I was drunk! Even I'm not that reckless! Now come down right now!" Rainbow Dash said sternly.

"Ya don't believe me?! Fine! I'll…I'll just have to prove it to you that's all!" she countered, as she began to sway and turn in the air.

"Fluttershy, wait!" Applejack cried.

Before anyone could say anything else, Fluttershy swayed heavily to her right, crashing right through one of the stained glass windows that lined the hallway. The three landlocked mares gasped at the sight and ran towards the accident scene, shrieking. They made it over to the window, minding the glass that had fell onto the floor, while struggling to get a look at the pegasus.

"FLUTTERSHY! FLUTTERSHY, ARE YOU ALRIGHT?!" Rarity screamed as loud as she could.

Luckily, they had only been on the first floor of the castle, so the pegasus didn't fall very far. However, they could tell that Fluttershy was in pain. Cuts adorned her body and face, as small pools of blood began to form underneath her.

"Go get Princess Luna, Applejack! Rarity and I can get out there easier than you can!" Rainbow Dash commanded.

"But, Rainbow, what about your wing?" Applejack countered worriedly.

"I'll be fine! Go! Now!" she shouted as she watched her friend race down the hallway as fast as she could.

"Rarity, can you steady me? I can't really fly yet, but I think I can maybe glide out there. It's not too far," Rainbow Dash concluded.

"Of course," she answered, activating her magic.

Rainbow Dash propelled herself skywards, extending her wings and doing her best to capture the air currents beneath her. It definitely hurt, as the strain of using her wings for the first time since her injury took its toll. Thankfully, it wasn't a far flight, and she was back on the ground outside in a few seconds. Rarity followed, levitating herself as well, landing next to Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, gasping for breath. She was spent after such an effort. Generally, she didn't move anything bigger than a fabric spool, and the effort needed to move the both of them was quite considerable. She pushed the exhaustion away, however, as they both went to check on Fluttershy. The poor pegasus just laid there, moaning.

"It'll be ok, Fluttershy," Rarity whispered trying to calm the mare down.

"Don't worry, Applejack went to get Princess Luna. You're gonna be ok, Flutters," Rainbow Dash said leaning down to nuzzle her childhood friend.

"I…I…I just didn't want to be scared anymore!" Fluttershy droned through the tears.

Rarity and Rainbow Dash just stared at the mare blankly, their hearts breaking at the site of how far their friend had fallen.

Well, here is the next chapter, folks! Hope everyone enjoyed it! Please let me know what you think!


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